CENTRARCHIDZA. 33 
aa. Tongue and pterygoid bones toothless; mouth moderate or small: 
d. Operculum ending behind in an entire convex process or flap, which is al- 
ways more or less black; dorsal fin not notched; dorsal spines nor- 
mally 10; anal spines 3, the soft rays in each about 10 in number; 
caudal fin emarginate : 
e. Maxillary with a sup»lemental bone; gill-rakers long, stout, dentate ; 
mouth rather large, the lower jaw protruding; palatine teeth pres- 
ent yspinesslowey dap small ea elee ane ces oe ea nea APOMOTIS, 6. 
ee. Maxillary without supplemental bone ; mouth rather small, with subequal 
jaws: ; 
f. Lower pharyngeal bones comparatively narrow, with the teeth all 
conic and sharp, the outer short and small, the inner long and pointed : 
g. Gill-rakers of anterior branchial arch more or less elongate, ossified, 
beset with small teeth (gill-rakers long and slender, beset on ene side 
with minute teeth, no palatine teeth, subgenus Helioperca ;—or com- 
paratively short and thick, with larger teeth, palatine teeth usually 
present, subcenus Lepioponius) = ss. 2 cael ate owes LEPIOPOMUS, 7. 
gg. Gill-rakers undifferentiated, all short, thickish, weak, unossified, 
provided with but few weak teeth; no palatine teeth ; opercular flap 
always large, often greatly developed ; coloration brilliant; spines 
MO Reng Soe AS Ben SS aaa SSE SO Ore relies mene ae, cme - CI OINK OMNES (or 
ff. Lower pharyngeal bones with the teeth or most of them rounded or 
truncate above, t. e., teeth paved, palatine teeth littie developed, or 
more usually wanting: 
h. Lower phafyngeals narrow, formed as in JLcpiopomus, the teeth 
rounded, not truncate above; gill-rakers rather long and slender; 
SPINES tater hioh pews see eee asiset sae fee ST ROPLED ES Os 
hh. Lower pharyngeals broad, concave, with large truncate teeth close 
together; gill-rakers short and thick, more or less strongly dentate ; 
APINESMAIPNersse sets ase ee erases Sess eae e eee Evupomoris, 10. 
dd. Operculum emarginate behind, ending in two flat points, with a dermal 
border ; caudal fin rounded behind ; gill-rakers in small number, long 
and strong, dentate ; species of small size and brilliant coloration: 
h. Dorsal tin angulated, the middle spines longer than some of the posterior 
oues; supplemental maxillary wanting (?or rudimentary); anal 
SPER sem O OLS lel Oe eee ea satel ese neers ee MESOGONISTIUS, 11. 
hh. Dorsal fin continuous; supplemental maxillary bone well developed: 
1. Dorsal spines)9 > anal G2 -2---. 22-4. 22-22 - e+ = UNNEACANTHUS,, 12. 
vw Dorsalispines SccannlsAs 2. scsesy ots) Sa ame ers ese HEMIOPLITES, 13. 
aii. Dorsal spines 10; anal 4; anal fin with an elongate basis, its an- 
Lenlor Tays pein oy advianGetley. 2. sens-l et aes 2 oe COPELANDIA, 14. 
** Dorsal and anal fins about equal in extent, the soft portions of the latter longest 
and most posterior, the two fins being obliquely opposed ; lower jaw 
longest ; supplemental maxillary bone present;: palatine teeth 
present; operculum emarginate behind; gill-rakers setiform, very 
long, finely dentate, in large number (20 to 30 of the large ones on 
anterior branchial arch); fins large, the soft rays of the dorsal and 
anal each with 14 to 18 rays; caudal fin emarginate; scales not 
strongly ctenoid (Centrarchine): 
j- Spinous dorsal longer than soft part, the spines about 12 in number, not rapidly 
graduated ; anal spines normally 8; body deep; mouth moderate. 
CENTRARCHUS, 15 
ji- Spinous dorsal shorter than soft part, the spines 5 to 8 in number, rapidly grad- 
uated ; anal spines normally 6; body compressed and rather elongate ; 
mouthdange sesscee es ace ce ese wslese seals sos seurestee . Pomoxys, 16. 
Bull. N. M. No. 10—3 
