ICHTHYOLOGY. 



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on the jaws, vomer, and palatines. Dorsals separated, as in CoUus. 

 Two species. 



Genus XIX. Scoiip.en.e, Linn. Resemble the Cotti in many 

 particulars, but are distinguished by their single dorsal. Head 

 compressed laterally, and teeth on the palatines as well as on the 

 I vomer and jaws. Head large and very spiny, enveloped generally in 

 a spongy skin ; pungent or spinous points on the side of the head, 

 and gill-cover generally on the same bones as in Cottut, and they 

 vary in size and acuteness with the species. There are besides a 

 spinous ridge on the second suborbitar, and crests on the top of the 

 cranium, more or less prominent and acute. No scales on the head. 

 Seven branchiostegals. A scaly body. Cutaneous filaments de- 

 pending from various part of the head and flanks, and simple 

 though jointed rays in the lower part of the pectorals. Eight or 

 more pancreatic CEeca ; no air-bladder. Thirty species. 



Genos XX. Sebastes, Cuv. Percoids, except for the connec- 

 tion of the suborbitar wiih the operculum and the simple inferior 

 rays of the pectorals. Seorpwnw, but for the presence of scales on 

 the snout, maxillaries, cheeks, and gill-covers, or on most of these 

 parts. The head is less armed than that of Scorpcena, and the cu- 

 taneous filaments are absent, or very sparingly present. Transi- 

 tional species exist, which may be placed in either of these two 

 genera. Eighteen species. 



Genos XXI. Pterois, Cuv. Head compressed and strangely 

 shaped. Cutaneous filaments on the snout. Preorbitars and pre- 

 operculum simple. Very long rays in the pectorals, with the mem- 

 brane deeply notched ; long slender dorsal spines. Teeth on the 

 jaws and front of the vomer, but none on the palatines. Seven 

 branchiostegals. Small scales on the body and various parts of the 

 head, smooth and round (cycloid ?). Pores on the limbs of the man- 

 dible. Ventrals with five forking soft rays in addition to the spine. 

 Three pancreatic caeca ; a pretty large oval sir-bladder. Ten 

 species. 



Genus XXII. T,enianotos, Cuv. Body extremely compressed. 

 Dorsal very high, and united to the caudal, from which the anal is 

 distinct ; ventrals under the base of the pectorals of five soft rays 

 and one spine. Scales very small. Cutaneous filaments on the orbit, 

 nostril, and tip of the snout. Spinous points on the turbinals, three 

 on the orbit, two on the cranial crest, one on the suprascapula, two 

 on the operculum. Three teeth on the preoperculum, a small one 

 on the crest of the second suborbitar. Kadiating lines on the pre- 

 orbitar, and teeth on its edge. 



Genus XXUI. Blepsias, Cuv. Allied to Scorpctna by its com- 

 pressed head, cheek cuirassed by the suborbitar, palatine teeth, 

 simple fin-rays, short, and half free in the lower part of the pec- 

 torals, and cutaneous filaments on the snout and mandible ; but dis- 

 tinguished from that genus by the five hranchiosUgah and high 

 dorsal, divided into three unequal lobes like that of Hemitripterus .- 

 from the latter genus its compressed head separates it. All the rays 

 of the fins, including the caudal, unbranched. Obtuse corners on 

 the preoperculum, and acute turbinal spines, but no other sharp 

 points on the head. 



Genus XXIV. Aoeiopus, Cuv. One of the least armed of the 

 family, and the second suborbitar does not articulate opposite the 

 ngle of the preoperculum, but to the upper part of the ascending 

 limb of that bone. A long single dorsal, with strong spines ad- 

 vancing on the cranium to between the orbits, with its anterior 

 rays flanked by elevated uneven cranial crests. Mouth projecting, 

 small, furnished with scarcely perceptible teeth ; no teeth on the 

 palate or tongue. Five branchiostegals. Pectorals low down, the 

 membrane between the lower rays deeply notched ; ventrals with 

 a spine and five soft rays ; caudal rays subdivided ; rays of all the 

 other fins simple. Skin scaleless, smooth, or finely tuberculated. 

 Stomach siphonal, without a dilatation to distinguish it from the 

 oesophagus ; no pancreatic cctca ; air-bladder oval, occupying half 

 the length of the abdomen. This genus and Patcecus seem to link 

 the Sclerogenida and Gohiidae to each other. Four species. 



Genus XXV. Apistes, Cuv. Scorpcena:, having for their dis- 

 tinctive character one long spine on the preorbitar, and another 

 on the preoperculum, which, from the mobility of these bones, can 

 be raised to a right angle with the long axis of the fish, and become 

 dangerous weapons. Soft part of the dorsal not separated from the 

 spinous portion, but in some species rays are detached from the front, 

 and form small separate fins. Some have a naked skin like CottuSy 

 others are scaly like Scorptcena, and some have one or more free 

 rays under the pectoral. Cuvier kept these various forms in one 

 genus, merely giving the name of Minous to those which have some 

 detached pectoral rays: subsequent ichthyologists have made genera 

 of the groups that were indicated in the Jlistoire des Poinons. 

 Stomach caecal ; four pancreatic caeca ; pretty large air-bladder, 

 swollen at the extremities, and somewhat depressed in the middle. 

 Eighteen species, of which three are wholly without scales. 



Genus XXVI. Minous, Cuv. ApUtet with one free ray under 

 the pectorals, and thereby allied to — 



Genus XXVII. CnoRlDACTVLUS, Rich. (Toy, of the Sulphur, Classifica- 

 1848). This genus combines the characters of various Sclerogenidce ; tion — 

 in union with the preorbitar spines of Apistes or Minous, it has the Acanthop* 

 hollow cheeks, prominent orbits, tall, slender dorsal spines, fila- terous 

 ments of the fins, three free pectoral rays, and ventrals adnate to Fishes, 

 the belly, and composed of five soft rays and a spine, all as in Pelor. V^^^^^,.^./ 

 It has not, however, the elongated body, depressed head, and hori- 

 zontally protruding muzzle, nor the vomerine teeth of Pelor, and 

 of the Seorpcsnoe generally ; it is distinguished from St/nanceia by 

 its free pectoral rays, but resembles that genus in general form. 

 Skin scaleless. Many filaments on the head, mandible, and fins. 

 One species. 



Genus XXVIII. Sthenopus, Rich. (lib. supra cit.) Aspect of 

 Pelor, with a less extraordinary-shaped, though large head, and 

 three higher rays of the dorsal, advanced to the orbits, but con- 

 nected at the base by membrane to the remainder of the fin. Only 

 two soft rays and a spine in the small ventrals, which are under the 

 base of the pectorals. No pungent points on the bones of the head 

 and face, which are clothed with soft, thick, loose integuments. 

 Skin of the body destitute of scales, but covered in many parts, 

 especially along the lateral line, with small cutaneous filaments, 

 which extend also to the head, pectorals, and dorsal. Pectorals at- 

 tached differently from those of Si/nanceia. Teeth on the jaws and 

 chevron of the vomer; none on the palatines. The second suborbitar, 

 which traverses the cheek, is a narrow plate that descends from 

 under the eye to the curve of the preoperculum ; the preorbitar 

 is subulate with a cartilaginous tip. One species. 



Genus XXIX. Pelor, Cuv. Head as it were broken down 

 above, with prominent orbits approximated to each other. High 

 and almost isolated dorsal spines. No scales. Bands of fine villiform 

 teeth on the jaws and front of the vomer ; none on the palatines or 

 tongue. Two free rays under the pectorals. The large moveable 

 spine of the preorbitar of Apistes is absent, by which they are 

 separated from the species of that genus with naked skins, but 

 there are angular points on the preorbitar, and still more promi- 

 nent ones on the preoperculum, operculum, suprascapula, and 

 coracoid. Stomach caecal ; four thick pancreatic ca;ca ; an air- 

 bladder scarcely as big as a pea placed near the pylorus. Seven 

 species. 



Genus XXX. Synanceia, Bloch., Schneid. Destitute of spines 

 on the head, which is not more compressed than that of many 

 Cotti. Teeth on the jaws, but none on the vomer or palatines ; no free 

 rays under the pectoral, but the tips of some of the rays project 

 considerably in some species. Mouth vertical as in Uranoscopus, the 

 mandible being in front when shut ; this form of the mouth, five 

 soft rays in the ventrals, and the want of vomerine teeth, distin- 

 guish the genus from Sthenopus. Skin scaleless, smooth and slippery. 

 Eyes in some lateral, though high on the head ; in S. asteroblepa 

 very small, and on the dorsal aspect of the head. Stomach oval, 

 caecal ; four thick pancreatic caeca ; air-bladder simple, small in the 

 fore part of the abdomen. Twelve species. 



Synancideum (Mull., Acad. Berl. 1839) is Synanceia vrith vome- 

 rine teeth. S. trachynis (Rich.) is an Australian species. 



Genus XXXI. Aploactis, Schleg. Intermediate among the 

 Cotti, Synanceia, Apistes, and Agriopi, resembling Coitus in denti- 

 tion and in its ventrals, with two soft rays and one spine ; Synanceia 

 in the want of armature of the head and general physiognomy ; 

 Apistes in the compressed head and shape of the dorsal ; and some 

 Agriopi in its skin being studded with bristles springing from small 

 tubercles. Two species. 



Genus XXXU. Monocentbis, Lacep. Very different in aspect 

 from the other members of the family, but having the distinguishing 

 character of the group in the suborbitar crossing the cheek to the 

 preoperculum. Body thick and short, cuirassed by enormous rough 

 angular and keeled scales. Four or five thick spines not connected 

 with membrane form an anterior dorsal ; ventrals having one enor- 

 mous spine, and a few small, almost invisible rays in its axilla ; 

 Face bulging. Villiform teeth on the jaws and palatines ; none on 

 the vomer. Eight branchiostegals. Soft dorsal and anal opposite, 

 and far back. One species. 



Genus XXXIU. Trachichthys, Shaw. (Iloplostethus, Cuv.; 

 Hist, des Poiss. iv,, 470, and iii., 229.) Form oval, to which the 

 tail behind the anal is to be added. Face very convex ; mouth termi- 

 nal, descending obliquely. Eye very large. Top of the head and 

 cheeks cellular, from the prominence of branching bony crests, 

 which on the cheeks radiate from the suborbitars. Operculum and 

 disk of the preoperculum striated ; a spine from the angle of the 

 latter ; a small spine terminating a ridge on the upper part of the 

 operculum ; a flat rough spine on the suprascapula, and one on the 

 mastoid. One dorsal ; ventrals under the pectorals of six soft 

 rays and a spine ; the soft rays of all the fins branched. Belly ser- 

 rated behind the ventrals. Caudal deeply forked. Two species. 



Genus XXXIV. Chirus, Stel. Pretty long compressed scaly 

 fishes, with a small unarmed head. Scales ciliated. Cheek traversed 



