354 SCOMBRIBiE. 



Fam. 16. SCOMBRIDiE. 



Scomberoidei, pt., Cut\ Rtgne Anim. ; Miiller, Berl. Abhandl. 1844, 

 p. 201 ; Owen, Led. on Compar. Anut. Vert. i. p. 49. 



Body generally elongate, compressed, naked, or covered Avith scales 

 of small or moderate (Nomeina) size ; eye lateral. Dentition vari- 

 able. The infraorbital bones "do not articulate with the prajoper- 

 culum. The spinous dorsal less developed than the soft or than 

 the anal, either continuous with, or separate from the soft portion, 

 sometimes entirely absent. The soft dorsal and the anal sometimes 

 divided posteriorly into finlets. Ventrals thoracic*, sometimes rudi- 

 mentary or entirely absent. No prominent papilla near the vent. 

 Gill-opening wdde; generally seven branchiostegals,pseudobranchiaet, 

 and an air-bladderj ; pyloric appendages generally in great number. 



Vertebrae 11^^. 



Inhabitants of the high seas of nearly all the regions, many of the 

 species having a very vside range. 



This family, in its present shape, comprises the smaller part only 

 of Cuvier's Scomber oidei. T have separated from them all those 

 fishes in which the vertebral column is composed of 10/14 vertebrte: 

 even after this natural division, Carangidce, is excluded, the remain- 

 ing genera show considerable differences between themselves : I have 

 endeavoured to form groups corresponding to the principal types. 

 Several of the genera appear to approach the Trachinidce, but these 

 will always be found to possess certain characters in which they 

 differ essentially from that family. 



Synopsis of the Groups. 



Dorsal fin with the spinous portion separate, and 

 much less developed than the soft. Body ob- 

 long, without or with very small scales .... A. Scombrina. 



Dorsal fin with a distinct spinous portion, sepa- 

 rated from, or continuous with the soft, which 

 is the more developed. Body oblong, covered 

 with cycloid scales § of moderate size B. Nomeina. 



Dorsal fin formed by two distinct divisions, the 

 spinous less developed than tlie soft. Bodj' 

 elevated, -with very small or rudimentary 

 scales C. Cyttina. 



* Jugiilar in Pfcraclin niul Hi/iwrpfrra. t Absent in Corj/pho'na. 

 \ Absent in FJacatc, FA'hcveis, S/rovinfms. nnd Cori/phcpna. 

 \ See Plaft^i^fefhus. 



