PEDICULATI. 843 



1301. A. plagriicsa (L.) J. & G. 



Dark browii, with six or seven obscure darker cross-bands, and 

 Dumeroiis dark specks and inottling-s. forming- indistinct stripes; fins 

 all speckled, the caudal not <hirker than the other lins. Teeth very 

 small, i^resent on both sides of the jaw; eyes very small, close together, 

 the upper in advance, the lower Just above angle of mouth. Ventral 

 tin moderately developed, barely reaching anal, to which it is connected 

 by a low membrane. Head o; depth 3^. D. 95; A. 80; Lat. 1. 93. 

 South Atlantic and Gulf coast to the West Indies; abundant in sandy 

 bays. 



(Pleiiroiiectes plagiusa Linii. Syst. Nat. : Plagima pJaginsa Gill, Cat. Fish. E. coast, 

 794 : Acltirus oriiatus Lac. iv, 659: Ajphorinlia oi iiata Gthr. iv, 490.) 



Ordee V.-PEDICULATI. 



{The Pediculate Fishes.) 



Carpal bones notably elongate, forming a sort of arm, which sup- 

 ports the broad pectorals. Gill-oi)enings reduced to a large or small 

 foramen, situated in or near the axils, more or less posterior to the 

 pectorals. No scales. Ventral fins jugular, if present; first vertebrae 

 united to the cranium by a suture; epiotics united behind supraocci- 

 pital; elongate basal pectoral radii reduced in number; no interclavi- 

 cles; posttemporal broad, flat, simple; suj^erior i)haryngeals two, sim- 

 ilar, spatulate, with anterior stem and transverse blade; basis of 

 cranium simple, ^o air-duct to the swim-bladder. Anterior dorsal 

 reduced to a few tentacle-like, mostly isolated, spines. This group is 

 cousidered as a modified ott'shoot from Batrachoid or Blemiioid forms. 

 (Latin pediculatKs, i)rovided with a little foot or peduncle, in allusion 

 to the peculiar pectoral lins.) 



(PediculaU Giiutlmv, iii, 176-205.) 



ANALYSIS OF FAMILIES OF PEDICULATI. 



a. Gill-ojH'niiifjs in or behind the lower axils of the pectorals; month larf>e, terminal. 

 b. Pseu(lolnanchia) present; pseudobraehia with two aetiuosts; head broad, de- 

 pressed LoPiiiiD/E, 124. 



bh. Psendobranehia^ none; i>sendobraehia with three actinosts. 

 c. Ventral lins developed; pectoral members |i;eniculated, with elongate psendo- 



brachia ANTEXXAKiiDyK, 125 («). 



cc. Ventral fins obsolete; iiectoral members not geniculate, with moderate 



psendobrachia Ceuatiid/K, 125 (/>). 



aa. Gill-openings in or behind the upper axils; mouth small, usually inferior. 



Maltueid^e, 12G. 



