52 FISHES OF NORTH CAROLINA. 



z. Anal spines 2; dorsal fins separated, vomer 

 toothed. . CHEiLODiPTERiDiE (oardinal-fislics). 

 zz. Anal spines 3; dorsal fins continuous or 

 divided. 

 a'. Vomer toothed. 



h'. Body and head much compressed, and 



covered with small, very rough scales; 



eye very large . Priacanthid^ (big-eyes) . 



bh'. Body and head not greatly compressed, 



and not covered with rough scales; eye 



moderate Serranid.e (sea basses). 



aa'. Vomer toothless; dorsal fins continuous; 

 body compressed, back elevated. 



LoBOTiD^ (thrashers). 



yy. Maxillary sheathed by the preorbital and 



slipping under it for most of its length; an 



accessory scale in axil of ventral; no spine 



on posterior margin of opercle. 



c'. Vomer and palatines toothed; preopercle 



finely or obsoletely serrate. 



d'. Jaw teeth never incisors or molars, all acute. 



LuTiANiD^ (snappers). 



dd'. Jaw teeth mostly incisors, no molars or 



canines Kyphosid^ (rudder-fishes). 



cc'. Vomer and palatines toothless; preopercle 

 entire; jaw teeth incisors or conical in front, 

 molars on sides. 



Sparid^ (scup, breams, etc.). 

 cc. Body scaleless, the skin smooth, prickly, tuberculate, or with scattered bony plates, 

 e'. A sucking-disk on breast. 



/'. Sucking-disk between ventral fins; no spinous dorsal fin; gill-membranes not 



united to isthmus Gobiesocid^ (cling-fishes). 



//'. Sucking-disk formed from ventral fins; dorsal spines present; gill-membranes 



united to isthmus Liparidid^ (sea-snails). 



ee'. No sucking-disk on breast. 



^. Gill-membranes broadly united to isthmus; ventral fins united. 



GoBiiD^, in part (gobies). 

 gg". Gill-membranes nearly or entirely separate from isthmus; ventral fins not 



vmited Cottid^ (sculpins). 



66. Gill-openings behind, above, or below pectoral fins. 



h'. Mouth small; gill-openings in or behind upper axil of pectorals. 



Ogcocephalid^ (bat-fishes). 

 hh'. Mouth moderate or large; gill-openings in or behind lower axil of pectorals. 



%'. Mouth moderate, oblique or nearly vertical; pseudobranchise absent; body some- 

 what compressed; size small Antennariid.e (frog-fishes). 



W. Mouth exceedingly large, horizontal; pseudobranchise present; body greatly 



depressed; size large Lophiid^ (goose-fishes). 



aa. Ventral rays not always i,5. 



j'. Form unsymmetrical, the eyes and color being on one side, leaving other side blind 

 and colorless. 



k'. Eyes large, usually well separated; mouth moderate or large; teeth well developed; 

 margin of preopercle not concealed by skin and scales. 



Pleuronectid^ (flounders). 

 kk'. Eyes small, close together; mouth very small, more or less twisted; teeth rudimen- 

 tary or absent; margin of preoijercle concealed by skin and scales. 



Soleid.e (soles). 

 jj'. Form symmetrical, the eyes and color not confined to one side. 



v. All fins without spinous rays; a barbel on chin; ventral rays 2 to 7. Gadid.e (cods). 

 IV. Some fins with spinous rays. 



m'. Ventral opening far forward (under head in adult); ventral rays 7; dorsal fin single, 

 with 3 or 4 anterior rays spinous; size small; fresh-water species. 



Aphredoderid^ (pirate perches). 

 mm'. Ventral opening in normal position; ventral soft rays fewer than 5. 

 n'. Dorsal fins with some spines. 



o'. Upper jaw not produced in the form of a sword; fishes of moderate or small 

 size. 



