17 
niform, if present variously arranged on jaws, vomer, pala- 
tines, pterygoids and tongue. Upper jaw formed mesially by 
intermaxillaries and laterally by the maxillaries, the former 
generally small, the latter sometimes produced beyond the 
mandibulary joint. Dorsal rarely wanting, median or somewhat 
posterior. Ventrals abdominal, with 6—11 rays; they are small 
or may be wanting. No gular plate. Gillopening wide, gillmem- 
branes not connected or only at their base, free from isthmus. 
Branchiostegals 6. Pseudobranchiae generally present, 4 gillslits. 
Airbladder contiguous with auditory organ. 
metiticoval key to the subfamilies. 
A. No abdominal scutes. 
7. Belly sharp. Canine teeth. Scales very small . . . Chirocentrinae p. 17. 
2. Belly rounded. No canine teeth. Scales moderate. Dussumierinae p. 19. 
&, Keeled abdominal scutes. 
Z. Mouth small, inferior, transverse. Maxillary with 
one supplemental bone. No teeth. Gillmembranes 
SCPAMALCH ot epionis ilell(e) satel ivi, on el veitenien icles <ul)" si hie) is) 157s Dorosomatinae p. 23. 
2. Mouth large, lateral, snout prominent. Maxillary 
with two supplemental bones. Always teeth in 
jaws. Gillmembranes more or less united. .... Engraulinae p. 26. 
3. Mouth lateral, jaws equal. Maxillary with two 
supplemental bones. Gillmembranes separate .. . Clupeinae p. 53. 
1. Subfam. Chirocentrinae. 
Very elongate and compressed. Scales thin, small, very 
deciduous. Large axillary scales above and below pectorals 
and ventrals. Two elongate scales on base of caudal. No 
abdominal scutes, but abdomen with a sharp margin. Mouth 
large, very oblique, bordered by large intermaxillaries and 
long narrow maxillaries with two supplemental bones. Man- 
dibulary very prominent. Canine teeth in mandibulary and in 
front of intermaxillary, the other ones and those in maxillary 
long and pointed. Few teeth on palatines and tongue. Eyes 
subcutaneous, small. Dorsal above anterior part of long anal, 
ventrals very small, about midway between caudal and end of 
snout. Pectorals low down, folding like ventrals. Caudal deeply 
incised. Gillmembranes separate, free. Branchiostegals 8. Thirteen 
very short, strong, flattened gillrakers. No pseudobranchiae. 
INDO-AUSTRALIAN FISHES II. 2 
