THE FISHES OF NEW JERSEY. 305 
rarely entire. Opercles usually ending in 1 or 2 flat spine-like 
points. Skull without conical spines and usually without well- 
developed cavernous structure. No suborbital stay. Post-tem- 
poral normal. Second suborbital with an internal lamina sup- 
porting globe of eye. Entopterygiod present. All or most of 
ribs inserted on transverse processes when these are developed. 
Anterior vertebrze without transverse processes. Gill-membranes 
separate, free from isthmus. Gills 4, a long slit behind fourth. 
Gill-rakers long or short, usually stiff, armed with teeth. Pseudo- 
branchiz present, large. Branchiostegals normally 7, occasion- 
ally 6. Lower pharyngeals rather narrow, with pointed teeth, 
separate. Air-vessel present, usually small and adherent to wall 
of abdomen. Stomach ceecal, with few or many pyloric appen- 
dages. Intestines short, as is usual with carnivorous fishes. Ver- 
tebrze typically 10 + 14 = 24, number sometimes increased, never 
more than 35. Body covered with adherent scales of moderate 
or small size, which are usually but not always ctenoid. Cheeks 
and opercles always scaly. Lateral line single, not extending on 
cuadal fin. Dorsal spines usually stiff, II to XV in number. 
Rayed dorsal with 10 to 30 rays. Anal fin rather short, its soft 
rays 7 to 12, its spines if present always III, sometimes alto- 
gether wanting. Pectoral well developed, with narrow base, rays 
branched. Ventral I, 5, thoracic, normally developed and with- 
out distinct axillary scale. Caudal fin variously formed. 
Carnivorous fishes, chiefly marine, and found in all warm seas. 
Key to the genera. 
a. Morontn#. Dorsal fins 2. 
b. Dorsals separate; A. III, 12. ROCCUS 
bb. Dorsals joined; A. III, 9. MORONE 
aa. Dorsal fin single, sometimes deeply divided. 
c. EPINEPHELIN&. A distinct supplemental maxillary. EPINEPHELUS 
cc. SERRANIN&%. No supplemental maxillary. 
d. Smooth area on top of cranium very short and small. 
CENTROPRISTES 
dd. Smooth area on top of cranium very large, longer than low 
supra-occipital crest, which is low and short. DULES 
20 MU 
