The bionumeric code listing for fishes includes 

 215 families, 678 nominal genera, and 1,346 

 nominal species collected during cruises of the 

 research vessels On-goit, Pilican, Combat, 

 George M. Bowers, Silver Bay, and Oregon II. 

 Combined, these vessels have occupied over 

 15,000 collecting stations in the southwestern 

 North Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean Sea, 

 and Pacific side of Panama since 1950. 



DESCRIPTION OF THE BIONUMERIC 

 CODE 



The bionumeric code uses nine digits, grouped 

 as a single digit and four couplets, to code 

 five levels within the taxonomic hierarchy. The 

 first level does not represent phyla but is instead 

 a major grouping of marine faunal types im- 

 portant for our purposes. Headings include 

 Fishes — General, Crustaceans — General, and 

 Other Invertebrates. 



The second level in the FAO code comprises a 

 general Class-Order mixture, much of which 

 has been retained in our code. In the fish section 

 the second level represents Order as interpreted 

 by Berg (1940). Other sections may include such 

 diverse groups as Polychaeta, Arthropoda, 

 Asteroidea, and Platyhelminthes. 



Levels three, four, and five respectively repre- 

 sent family, genus, and species. Our bionumeric 

 code listing differs considerably from the FAO 

 code in number of entries and assigned codes. 

 Genus and species entries not provided by the 

 1960 FAO code and added by Pascagoula re- 

 flect the fauna of the Gulf and Caribbean region. 



An example of a bionumeric code entry is 

 provided for the common croaker, Micropogoii 

 inidnlatiis: 



1 70 20 19 02 



L^ UNUULATUS (Species) 



-^ MICROPOGON (Genus) 



SCIAENIDAP: (Family) 



-^ PERCIFORMES (Order) 



FISH (Major Gi-oup) 



Listing Format 



The bionumeric fish code listing is a rough 

 phylogenetic catalog of species collected by our 

 research vessels. Codes are listed in numerical 

 order except where invalid entries have been 

 deleted resulting in gaps in sequencing. 



The bionumeric code is shown at the left-most 

 margin of the listing with spaces between each 

 level. The scientific name is printed next with 

 each successively inferior category indented to 

 enhance use. Entries are not listed in alpha- 

 betical sequence because of the continuous 

 changes in numerical assignments which are 

 necessitated by additions to the code. Originally, 

 an alphabetical sequence was attempted, but 

 the number of entries multiplied so rapidly 

 that it became unfeasible to maintain the order 

 and entries were simply assigned the next avail- 

 able code number regardless of spelling. 



Description, date, and author follow the scien- 

 tific name. Parentheses are not used. 



The code is contained on a punched card deck, 

 one entry per card. Entries are indented on the 

 card in a similar manner to the printed list. 

 Titles and page spacing are program produced. 

 New entries and/or deletions are quickly made 

 by adding or deleting cards from the bionumeric 

 code deck. 



Application 



Data are recorded from each station on forms 

 specifically designed for direct transcription to 

 punched cards. At the end of each cruise or 

 survey activity these forms are keypunched 

 according to two card formats (Fig. 1 and 2). 

 The first card (station) contains station number, 

 location, depth, environmental data, gear data, 

 catch statistics (total weights and numbers), 

 and other related data. One card is recorded for 

 each occupied field station. A second card 

 (species) is made for each species captured at 

 that station. This card contains the key informa- 

 tion in the first 44 columns of the station card 

 (station number, location, depth, etc.) plus 

 pertinent data for each species listed such as 

 abbreviated scientific name, number of indi- 

 viduals, collective weight, and the bionumeric 



