80. BRAMID.1^. — PTERACLIS. 455 



716. C. siiciiri Cuv. & Val. 



Tliis species appears to dififer from the precediug- in the increased Dum- 

 ber of fiu rays. The elevated crest represented in DeJCay's figure of liis 

 "C. globiceps^^ is a character of very oUl individuals. "D. 04; A. 2G." 

 {Cuv. & Yal.) "D. 03; A. 29." {DeKmj.) Atlantic coasts of the United 

 States; rare. 



(Cuv. & Val. ix, 302: Corijpliwna glohicvps DeKay, Now York Fauna, Fish. 184:i, 13'2.) 



Family LXXX.— BRAMIDiE. 



[The Bramoids.) 



Body oblong or elevated, compressed, covered with cycloid or spinous 

 scales. Mouth wide, oblique; the jaws, vomer, and palatines provided 

 with sm ill teeth. Premaxillaries protractile. Snout more or less ob- 

 tuse and convex. Dorsal and anal fins very long, both more or less 

 elevated; veutrals thoracic or jugular, the number of rays usuallj- not 

 I, 5. Branchiostegals 7. Pseudobranchite i^resent. Pyloric append- 

 ages few. VertebrtB more than 10 -f 14. Genera 4; species about 10, 

 inhabiting the open seas. 



{Scomhridw : genera Brama, Taractes, and rteraolis Gihitlier, ii, 408-411.) 



* Dorsal fin very tigli, extending from the forehead to the caudal fin, composed of very 

 slender, inarticulate spines; anal fin similar; ventral fins jugular. (PteracUnw.) 



a. Jaws, vomer, and palatines with small teeth ; air-bladder A'ery small. 



Pteraclis, 238. 



236.— PTERACLIS Gronovius. 



(Gronovius, Act. Helvet. vii, 44, 1772: type Corypltwna velifera Pallas.) 



Body compressed, oblong, covered with moderate-sized cycloid, lobate 

 or emarginate scales. Eye large. Dorsal lin very much elevated, ex- 

 tending from the forehead to the base of the caudal, composed of filiform 

 spines, its form triangular, its base scarcely less than the total lengtli 

 of the fish; anal fin similar in form, also compo.sed of slender fnigile. 

 spines ; ventrals jugular, nearly under tlie eye, long, of 4-G slender rays. 

 Pseudobranchise present. Air-bladdei- very small. Most of the species 

 of this singular genus inhabit the Indian Ocean, (rrs/zo^, fin or wing; 

 zArrw, to close. "The name indicating the double rows of scales which 

 embnuic the bases of the two vertical fins.'') 



717. P. caroIiBius Cuv. & Val. 



Silvery, with bluish reflections. Mouth larger, scales larger, and 

 fourth ray of the dorsal stouter than in other species. D. LII; A. LXIV. 



