2 
to 
Ke) 
THE! FISHES/Or NEW JERSEY: 5 
Key to the genera. 
a. OTOLITHIN®. Vertebre 14 or 14 + I0 or 11, abdominal portion of spinal 
column having always more than caudal portion; anal inserted poster- 
iorly; body more or less elongate; mouth large, mandible protruding. 
CYNOSCION 
aa. Vertebre 9 to 12 + 13 to 20, typically 10 + 14, or those in abdominal 
part always less than caudal portion. 
b. Scr#nIn%. Lower pharyngeals separate. 
c. No mandibular barbels. 
d. Teeth well developed, permanent in both jaws. 
e. Gill-rakers long, slender. BAIRDIELLA 
ec. Gill-rakers short, thick, usually not longer than posterior 
nostril. SCIAENOPS 
dd. Teeth very small, mandibular wanting or deciduous. 
LEIOSTOMUS 
cc. Mandible with 1 or more barbels. MENTICIRRHUS. 
bb. APLODINOTIN®. Lower pharyngeals very large, completely united, 
covered with coarse, blunt, paved teeth. POGONIAS 
Genus Cynoscion Gill. 
The Weak Fishes. 
Key to the species. 
b. Rayed dorsal and anal more or less closely scaled; gill-rakers long, 
slender, 9 to 12 on lower part of arch. REGALIS 
bb. Rayed dorsal and anal scaleless; gill-rakers short, thick, 6 to 8 on lower 
part of arch. NEBULOSUS 
Cynoscion regalis (Schneider). 
Weak Fish. Squeateague. Blue Fish. 
Head 3%; depth 41%4; D. X-I, 27,1; A. II, 11, 1; scales about 
55 in lateral line to base of caudal and 7 more on latter; 9 scales 
between origin of spinous dorsal and lateral line; 10 scales be- 
tween origin of spinous anal and lateral line in a vertical series ; 
mandible 115/,, in head; second dorsal spine 214; first dorsal 
ray 3%; second anal ray 224; least depth of caudal peduncle 
3%4; caudal 1%; pectoral 154; ventral 2. Body long, com- 
pressed, of rather fusiform appearance. Head compressed, large, 
lower profile more inclined than upper, which would form an 
obtuse angle above middle of length of snout and is then nearly 
