THE, FISHES OF! NEW JERSEY. ens 
Family LUTIANIDE. 
The Snappers. 
Body oblong or more or less elevated. Head large, crest on 
skull usually largely developed. Mouth moderate or large, 
usually terminal, low and horizontal. Premaxillaries moder- 
ately protractile, spines not extending to occiput. Maxillary long. 
without supplemental bone, for most of its length slipping under 
edge of preorbital, which forms more or less distinct sheath and 
its form essentially as in Serranide. ‘Teeth various, unequal and 
sharp, never incisor-like, some of them sometimes molar. Vomer 
and palatines usually with villiform teeth, these sometimes molar, 
very small and wanting. Preopercle serrate or entire. Opercle 
without spines. No suborbital stay. Gills 4, a slit behind fourth. 
Gill-membranes separate, free from isthmus. Gill-rakers moder- 
ate or long, slender. Pseudobranchie large. Lower pharyngeals 
separate. Air-vessel present, usually simple. Intestinal canal 
short. Pyloric ceca few. Vertebre usually 10 + 14=-24. No 
distinct tubercles from cranium for articulation of epipharyngeal 
bones. Enlarged apophyses for articulation of palatine and pre- 
orbital bones. Anterior 4 vertebrae without parapophyses. Body 
covered with moderate-sized adherent scales, more or less strongly 
ctenoid or almost cycloid. Lateral line well developed, concur- 
rent with back and not extending on caudal. Dorsal fin singie, 
continuous, or deeply notched, sometimes divided into 2 fins, 
spines usually strong, depressible in a groove, heteracanthous, and 
X to XII in number. Anal similar to rayed dorsal, with IIT 
spines. Caudal usually more or less concave behind. Ventral 
fins thoracic, rays I, 5, with a more or less distinct scale-like ap- 
pendage at base. 
A large family of active voracious carnivorous shore-fishes of 
warm regions. All are valued as food-fishes. ‘Two species occur 
on our shores. 
Genus LutTIaNnus Bloch. 
The Snappers. 
Key to the species. 
a. Anal rounded, middle rays less than half of head. GRISEUS 
aa, Anal angulated, middle rays at least half of head. BLACKFORDII 
