95. CICHLID^. 607 



anal II, 8, or 9. About 24 scales in the lateral line. -Troiiical seas. 

 Large fishes of the tropical seas, brilliantly colored, little valued as food. 

 Many species occur in the West Indies, any of whicli may be found about 

 tbo Florida Keys. The closely related genus Scarus Forskfil, distin- 

 guished chiefly by the stili" spines of the dorsal fin, occurs in the same 

 waters, and several of its species may be looked lor on our coast, {ilut, 

 half; (TTo/m^ month. ; the jaws divided.) 



954. II. ^sa-2cainnia (Cuv. & Vul.) J. & G. 



Brownish, the jaws and naked parts of the head green; fins dark, the 

 margin of the dorsal, anal, and ventrals green. Upper lip thick, cov- 

 ering more than half of the plate of the jaw; lower lip full; no poste- 

 rior caniue teeth. A single scale on the lower limb of the preopercle, 

 besides the two series of scales on the cheek ; opercle with two rows of 

 scales ; top of head scaled forwards to the eyes. Eye small, about mid- 

 way in head. Dorsal fin not emarginate; anal spines long and flexible; 

 caudal shortish, double truncate; pectorals short. Lateral line ab- 

 ruptly decurved posteriorly. Head 3; depth 3. D. X, 9; A. JI, 9; 

 Lat. 1. 23. West Indies, north to Key West, Fla. 



(Scarus guacamaia Cuv. & Val. xiv, 178, 1839: rseudoscants guacamaia Giintber, iv, 

 233.) 



Family XCV.— CICHLID.E. 



{The CichUds.) * 



Fresh- water Labroids. Body elevated, oblOng or elongate, covered 

 with moderate-sized scales, which are usually' ctenoid. Lateral line in- 

 terrupted, usually ceasing opposite the posterior part of the dorsal, and 

 then recommencing lower down on the caudal peduncle. Mouth vary- 

 ing in size, terminal, the jaws with rather small teeth, which are usually 

 conical, but sometimes lobate or incisor like; no teeth on vomer or pal- 

 atines. Nostril single on each side. Premaxillaries freely protractile; 

 maxillary sli])ping under the broad preorbital. Gill-rakers vrrious; gill- 

 membranes often connected. Dorsal fin single, with the spinous por- 

 tion well developed, usually rather longer than the soft portion; anal 

 fin with 3 or more spines, the soft part similar to the soft dorsal; 

 ventral fins thoracic, I, 5. Lower jdiaryngeal bones united into a 

 triangular piece, with a median suture. Branchiostegals o or C; no 

 pseudobranchiae. Gills 4; a slit behind the fourth. Air bladder pres- 

 ent. A large family of fresh-water fishes of moderate or small size, 

 representing, as to form, size, appearance, and habits, and even as to 

 manv details of structure, in the waters of South America, the Cen- 



