358 CHARACTERISTICS OF SCATOPHAGOID FISHES. 



Professor Cope instituted a group of the percomorpli fishes termed 

 Upilasmia, and especially characterized by having the " second, third, 

 and fourth superior pharyngeals transverse vertical larainfe." He 

 included therein the Acronuruhv (= Teuthididcc + Siganidce) and Chceto- 

 dontid(e{= Choetodontidw -\- Zanclidce -\- Uphippiidw + Platacidw + Toxo- 

 tidce)^ but did not include Scatophagiis, nor did he elsewhere refer to it. 

 The terms of his definition, however, would exclude the Scatophagidw 

 from the JEpilasmia, while that of the Distegi would apply to it. 



If regard is paid to old definitions of families, no objection can be 

 raised because the definition of one applies to it more than another. 

 Dr. Giiuther's definition of the Squamipinnes, for example, is as appli- 

 cable to some Serranidie as it is to some of his Squamipinnes. The so- 

 called iamily Squamipinnes is indeed a thoroughly artificial group not 

 entitled to a moment's consideration, and its long tenure of life was 

 onlj' possible because of the stagnation of systematic ichthyology and 

 because naturalists were willing to accept ideas from a spirit of con- 

 servatism and without investigation. That spirit has permitted ichthy- 

 ologists for many years to re^^ard as of prime importance the extension 

 of scales on the vertical fins in spite of the fact that the degree of such 

 extension is most variable, and that the extension or non-extension of 

 scales on the fins of other fishes is regarded as of slight importance. 



Several assigned osteologipal characters need notice, as otherwise 

 they might be considered to be indorsed. 



Dr. Giinther has claimed that " the centre of the first vertebra is 

 not developed." (Cat., v. 2, p. 59.) This statement is doubtless due 

 to the fact that the centrum of the tirst vertebra is so intimately nnited 

 with the basioccipital that the suture appears to be obliterated. The 

 vertebra is iu fact well developed, and contrasts especially with that 

 of the Chcvtodontoidea hy its length and position. 



Dr. Giinther has assigned " a recumbent spine before the dorsal 

 pointing forwards" (Cat., v. 2, p. 58). This character has proved to be 

 a stumbling block to one naturalist especially. Mr. Charles DeVis has 

 distinguished two species, one from Scatophagus argus (named >S'. quad- 

 ranus) and another from iS. multifasciatus (named S. cctaievarians), 

 because the supposed new species had no ])rocuml)ent spines, while the 

 old ones had.* There is, however, no recumbent siune open to view 

 iu the typical Scatophagi more than in the Australian fishes. The 

 basis of Dr. Giiuther's diagnosis is in the fact that the anterior inter- 

 spinals have thin heads deflected forward in a spiniform manner before 

 the dorsal fins, although iu a les^s degree than in Cluctodontidcv :* there 

 is no distinctive character in this, nor is the interspinal prominent 

 above the skin. 



Dr. Giinther affirms that "there are no spurious iuterneurals." In 



•Ne'^ Aiistraliaa Fishes in the Queensland Maseiim. Part II. By Charles W. 

 De Vis, M. A. <Proc. Linn. Soc. N. S. Wales, v. tl, j.p. 453-4(J2 (455-456), 1885. 



* In Pomacanthus para the interspinal has a vtTV ar-ate ha.stiform recumbent head. 



