(UAlIAMilll.i;. 41' 



Fam. 17. CARANGID.E. 



Scomberoidei, pt., et Squamipiunes, pt., Ckc. liii/nc JhIiii. ; Mi'tllir, 

 Bcrl Ahhandl. 1844, p. 201; Owen, Levi, on Cowpar. An<d. Vrrf. 

 i. p. 41>. 



Body generally compressed, oblong- or elevated, covered with small 

 scales or naked ; eye lateral. Dentition variable. The infraorbital 

 bones do not articulate with the pra^operculum. The spinous dorsal 

 less developed than the soft or' than the anal, either continuous ^\ ith. 

 or sej)arated from, the soft portion, sometimes I'vidimcntaryt. The. 

 posterior rays of the dorsal and anal fins sometimes semidetached. 

 Ventrals thoracic, sometimes rudimentary or entirely absent. No 

 prominent papilla near the vent. Gill-opening wide ; generally seven 

 branchiostegals and pseiidobranchia)J ; air-bladder present ; pyloric 

 appendages generally in great number §. Vertebrae 10 '14. 



Inhabitants of the seas of the temperate and tropical regions, many 

 of the species having a very wide range. 



This fanfily forms a very natural division, widely ditl'ering from 

 the Scomhridce in the structure of the vertebral column, which is 

 composed of ten abdominal and fourteen caudal vertebi-ae. The only 

 exception is found in the genera Chorhiemus and Temnodon, where 

 the number of the vertebra) is increased by one or two : but a com- 

 parison with Lichia shows that their natural position is by the side 

 of this genus. Several authors have also distinguished a family of 

 Carangidce ; but if they have defined it at all, they have applied 

 characters very different from those given above, and have not paid 

 attention to the structure of the skeleton. 



I divide this family into two groups : — 



The soft dorsal and anal of nearly equal extent . . A. Carangina. 

 One dorsal fin only, much shorter than the anal . . B. Kurtina, 



Si/noiJfiis of the Gtuem. 

 First rfrovp : Carangina. 



a. Two anal spines remote from the soft jiortioii. 



* Lateral line with plate4ike shields, each of which is 

 generally armed with a spine. 



Lateral line entirely shielded 1 . TRAcnURU-s. 



t A single sliort dorsal in the second group. 

 \ Absent in Lichia and Trarhynnfus. 

 I In small number in Eqim/a and Lacforixs. 

 VOL. II. - K 



