204 Field Columbian Museum — Zoology, Vol. V. 



belongs confined entirely to the fresh waters of North America. It 

 reaches a weight of 50 pounds; as food fish it is of little value north, 

 though of quite good quality south, where it is an important market 

 fish. 



Family XXL Cichlidse. 



The Cichlids; "Mojarras." 



Body elevated, oblong or elongate, covered with rather large 

 ctenoid scales; lateral line interrupted, usually ceasing opposite the 

 end of dorsal fin, then recommencing farther down on middle of caudal 

 peduncle; mouth terminal; teeth in jaws usually conical, sometimes 

 lobate or incisor-like ; no teeth on vomer or palatines ; nostril single on 

 each side; premaxillaries freely protractile; maxillary slipping under 

 the broad preorbital; gill membranes often connected; dorsal fin single, 

 the spinous portion usually longer than the soft portion ; anal fin with 

 3 or more spines, the soft part similar to soft dorsal; lower pharyngeal 

 bones united into a triangular piece with a median suture; bran- 

 chiostegals 5 or 6; no pseudobranchiae ; air bladder present; caudal 

 fin lunate or rounded. 



This family comprises a large number of fresh-water fishes inhab- 

 iting the rivers of tropical America and Africa. In form, size, appear- 

 ance and habits they bear a close resemblance to the sunfishes of the 

 United States. The species known in Mexico are not regarded as 

 first class game fishes, though as food fishes they are very good. 



KEY TO THE GENERA OF CICHLIDS. 



a. Caudal fin rounded, or truncate, its outer rays page 



not produced into filaments; pectoral fin short, 

 rounded, its length \ l / A to \%. in the head; no 

 black blotch on the subopercle. 

 b. Teeth of the outer series all conic ; anal spines 



4 to 1 1 Cichlasoma 204 



bb. Teeth of the outer series more or less com- 

 pressed, incisor-like; anal spines 5 to 8 Neetroplus 221 



aa. Caudal fin lunate or slightly forked, some of 

 its outer rays produced into a filament; pec- 

 toral fin long and pointed, its length about 

 equal to or longer than the head; a black 

 blotch on subopercle Thorichthys 222 



81. Cichlasoma Swainson. 

 Cichlasoma Swainson, Nat. Hist. Class'n Fishes, etc., 230, 1839. 

 (Type, Labrus punctatus Bloch.) 



