CLASSIFICATION OF FISHES 31 



(y) Vertical fins densely scaled. Deep 

 compressed fish. Ephippidce 



(C) Ventral fins united. Small marine fishes. 



Gobiidce 



(D) Ventral fins placed decidedly before breast 



fins. Spiny back fin very small. Body tad- 

 pole shaped. Mouth large with a projecting 

 lower jaw. Batrachoididce 



(3) Spiny and soft-rayed portions of the back fin united, at 

 least at the base. 



(A) Three short spines only in the front of the back fin. 



A small fresh- water fish. Aphredoderidce 



(B) An erectile spine on the side of the peduncle. Body 



deep and compressed with minute scales. Mouth 

 small with incisor-like teeth. Spines and rays 

 of the long back fin little differentiated. 



Teuthididce 



(C) Ventral fins placed further forward than breast 



fins. Small scaleless marine fishes. Blenniidce 



(D) Not as above. 



(a) Teeth incisor-like, each tooth with a con- 



spicuous horizontal process or root. 



Kijphosidce 



(b) Lateral line extending across the tail fin. 



Scixnidce 



(c) Teeth in the front of the thick-lipped small 



mouth, large and strong. Scales smooth. 

 Spiny part of the back fin much longer than 

 the soft part. Tail fin squarish. Breast fin 

 rounded. Labridce 



(d) Body very deep and compressed, the soft 



vertical fins densely scaled, mouth small, 

 teeth fine, brush-like. Choetodontidce. 



