Families of Tdeostean Fiahes, 179 



2. Veiitrals with not more than 5 soft rays. 



a. Lower pharyngeal bones not completely united; showing at 

 least a median suture. 

 a. O ill-membranes free from isthmus. 



* Ventrals little if at all behind the pectorals. 



t Third vertebra without transverse processes or with 

 sessile ribs. 

 X A more or less developed subocular shelf, or inner 

 lamina of the suborbitals supporting the eyeball, 

 sometimes reduced to a more process of the secoiul 

 suborbital. 

 § Ilibs inserted on the transverse processes, when 

 these are developed. 

 Body covered with very large bony scales; 

 ventrals with a very strong spine and 



2 or 3 very short soft rays 2. MonocentriJce. 



Dorsal very short, with few graduated, adnate 



spines ; anal very long 3. Pempheridce, 



Spinous dorsal usually well developed, soft 



dorsal usually not much more developed 



than the anal ; palate usually toothed. .. . 11. Serranid(p. 



Dorsal and anal fins elongate and formed 



mostly of articulated soft rays, the spines 



feeble and few 12. Fseudochromidid(e, 



Dorsal and anal fins much elongate, without 



distinct spines ; body band-like 13. Cepolidce. 



Teeth in the jaws fused to form a beak 14. HoplogiiathidcB. 



Sol't dorsal and anal much elongate ; a separate 



spinous doi'sal 15. Sillaginidce. 



Soft dorsal much longer than the anal ; a 



separate spinous dorsal 16. Scicenidce. 



5§ Ribs mostly sessile, behind the parapophyses ; 

 body deep; mouth moderately large and pro- 

 tractile. 



Suprateraporal forked, distinct from skull .... 2o. Scorpididce. 

 Supratemporal completely ankylosed to the 



skull ; mouth very protractile 26. Caproidce. 



\ X No subocular shelf. 



§ Ribs mostly sessile, behind the parapopliyses ; 

 anal spines 3 to 14. 

 Teeth conical ; palate toothed ; mouth freely 



protractile 4. Centrarchidce. 



Teeth incisor-like ; fins densely scaled 5. Cyphosidce. 



Teeth conical ; palate toothless 6. Lobotidce. 



Maxillary very slender, mouth very protractile . 7. Toxotidte. 



No entopterygoid ; mouth very protractile .... 8. Nandidee. 



§§ Ribs inserted on the transverse processes when 

 these are developed ; not more than 3 anal 

 spines. 

 Mouth not or but feebly protractile ; palate 

 toothed ; spinous dor.sal usually longer 

 than the soft ; anal with 1 or 2 spines. ... 9. Pereidcp. 

 Mouth moderately protractile ; palate toothed ; 

 spinous dorsal not longer than the soft ; 



anal with 2 or 3 spines 10. Acropnuiafi'diS, 



12* 



