50 FISHES OF NORTH CAROLINA. 



o. Upper jaw not protractile, its margin formed by maxillary; dorsal fin always 

 inserted near caudal, 

 p. Jaws prolonged and depressed; teeth cardiform; lateral line present; si^e 



large Esocid.e (pikes). 



pp. Jaws not prolonged nor depressed; teeth villiform; lateral line absent; 



size very small Umbrid^ (mud-fish3s). 



00. Upper jaw protractile, its margin formed by premaxillary; lateral line 

 absent; dorsal fin inserted at or near middle of back; size, small. 



PcECUiiD^ (killi-fishes). 

 nn. Head naked; jaws with or without teeth; upjjer jaw not protractile; color 

 bright silvery. 



q. An external bony plate between branches of lower jaw; mouth large, with 

 bands of small teeth on jaw, vomer, palatines, and tongue; lateral line present. 



Elopid^ (big-eyed herrings). 

 qq No external bony plate on lower jaw; mouth large or small, with teeth 

 present or absent; lateral line present or absent. 

 r. Lateral line and teeth present. 



.s. Mouth small, inferior; bands of villiform teeth on jaws, vomer, and 

 palatines, and patches of paved teeth on back of tongue and roof of 



mouth; snout very long Albulid.e (lady-fishes) 



ss. Mouth moderate, terminal; pointed teeth on jaws, vomer, palatines, 

 tongue, and roof of mouth, no paved teeth; snout very short. 



HroDONTiD^ (moon-eyes) 

 rr. Lateral line and teeth absent. 



t. Mouth small, inferior; snout short, blunt; stomach gizzard-like. 



DoROSOMiD^ (mud-shads). 

 U. Mouth small, terminal, snout pointed; stomach not gizzard-like. 



Clxjpeid^ (shads and herrings). 

 ttt. Mouth very large, inferior; maxillary very long; snout overhanging, 



pig-like Engraulid^ (anchovies). 



aaa. Dorsal fin followed by a series of detached finlets; anal similar; jaws elongated to 

 form a slender beak Scombresocid.e (sauries). 



//. Ventral fins attached to abdomen, far posterior to pectoral fins; 2 dorsal fins, the anterior 

 composed only of spiny rays. 

 a. Head long, mouth large, teeth strong and of unequal length; body elongate; lateral Unes 



present Sphyr^nid^ (barracudas). 



aa. Head short, mouth small, teeth weak or absent, lateral line absent or rudimentary. 



6. Anal spines 3; body stout; size large Mugilid^ (mullets). 



6b. Anal spine single; body slender; size small Atherinid^ (silversides). 



///. Ventral fins attached at thorax or throat, under, anterior to, or slightly behind pectorals. 

 a. Ventral rays always i,5. 



h. Gill-openings anterior to pectoral fins. 

 c. Body scaly or with bony plates. 



d. Ventral fins united; gill-membranes joined to isthmus; lateral line absent. 



GoBiiD^, in part (gobies). 

 dd. Ventral fins separate. 



e. A bony stay extending from below eye across cheek toward preopercle. 



/. Body scaly; head with rough, spinous bones externally; 3 lower pectoral 

 rays separated from remainder of fin and having form of slenderfingers. 



Triglid.e (sea-robins). 

 //. Body scaly; head without rough spinous bones externally; pectoral fins 

 without lower rays separated. 



g. Dorsal spines 4; eyes small, directed upward. Uranoscopid^ (star-gazers). 

 gg. Dorsal spines 8 to 17; eyes large or moderate, directed laterally. 



ScoRP.ENiD.E (scorpion-fishes). 

 ee. No bony stay extending from below eye across cheek toward preopercle. 



h. Anterior dorsal fin represented by a large sucking disk extending on top of 



head Echeneidid^ (remoras). 



hh. Anterior dorsal fin normal (not converted into a sucking apparatus). 

 i. Dorsal and anal fins followed by detached finlets. . ..Scombrid^ (mackerels), 

 n. Dorsal and anal fins not followed by detached finlets. 



y. Form elongate, spindle shaped; dorsal spines not connected by mem- 

 brane Rachycentrid^ (cabios). 



jj. Form not elongate and spindle-shaped. 



