164 REPORT OF NEW JERSEY STATE MUSEUM. 
Terctribus macrolepidotus Abbott, Am. Nat., 1V, 1870, p. 117. 
Teretulus macrolepidoius Abbott, 1. ¢., p. 390. 
Myxostoma macrolepidotum Jordan, An. N. Y. Acad. Sci., I, 
£370. 115: 
My.xostoma macrolepidota Abbott, Nat. Rambles, 1885, p. 479. 
? Carpiodes cyprinus Abbott, 1. c. 
Order NEMATOGNATHI. 
The Cat Fishes. 
Represented in our waters by a single family, the Siluride@ or 
true cat fishes. 
Family SILURIDE. 
The Cat Fishes. 
Body more or less elongate. Anterior part of head with two or 
more barbels, base of longest pair formed by small or rudi- 
mentary maxillary. Margin of upper jaw formed by premaxil- 
laries only. Subopercle absent. Opercle present. Air-vessel 
usually present, large, and connected with organ of hearing by 
means of auditory ossicles. Lower pharyngeals separate. Body 
naked or covered with bony plates, no true scales. Dorsal fin 
usually present, short, above or in front of ventrals. An adipose 
fin usually present. Anterior rays of dorsals and pectorals usually 
spinous. 
A large family, mostly in the fresh waters of warm regions. 
Most of the marine forms are tropical. They are valued as food- 
fishes, though in some places are not used on account of their 
foul habits. 
Key to the genera. 
a. TACHYSURIN#”. Nostrils close together, neither with a barbel, and pos- 
terior with a valve; teeth on palate; caudal forked; chiefly marine. 
FELICHTHYS 
aa. IctaALuRINa. Nostrils remote from each other; posterior nostril. with 
a barbel; no teeth on vomer or palatine; caudal usually rounded; fresh- 
water species. 
b. Adipose fin with its posterior margin free. AMEIURUS 
bb. Adipose fin keel-like, adnate to back. SCHILBEODES. 
