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Order II. ACANTHOPTERYGII. 



A portion of the dorsal, anal, and ventral fins unartieulated, 

 forming spines. Air-bladder, when present, completely closed* in 

 adults, not possessing a pneumatic duct. 



Synopsis of Indian Families f. 



First group. PEECIFOEMES. 



Body rarely elongate. No superbranchial organ. Spinous dorsal well 

 developed, the soft dorsal similar to the soft anal ; veutrals thoracic, 1 /4 

 or 1/5 J . 



I. Preopercle not articulated with orbit. Body 



mostly oblong. Neither molars nor cutting- 

 teeth. Vertical fins generally scaleless. Late- 

 ral line almost invariably present and un- 

 interrupted Percidae. 



II. Preopercle not articulated with orbit. Body 



mostly elevated and compressed. Neither 

 molars nor cutting-teeth ; setiform teeth may 

 exist in the jaws, or villiform on the palate. 

 Vertical fins scaled. Lateral line uninter- 

 rupted Squanripinnes. 



III. Preopercle not articulated with orbit. Teeth 

 feeble, jaws and palate variously armed or 

 edentulous. Two long and stiff' barbels below 



the chin MuUidae. 



IV. Preopercle not articulated with orbit. Either 

 rows of cutting or conical teeth in the front 

 of the jaws, or a lateral row of molars, or both 

 conjoined Sparidae. 



V. Preonercle not articulated with orbit. Neither 



cutting nor molar teeth. Lower pectoral 



rays unbranched Cirrhitidge. 



VI. Preopercle articulated with orbit by means of 

 a process from the suborbital. Some of the 



bones of the head armed. Dentition feeble. . Scorpaenidae. 



* This merely refer8 to the pneumatic duct, which, when present, must at an 

 early age have been pervious, as it is an offshoot from the intestinal canal. It 

 may frequently be perceived abnormally open even in adults. 



t This synopsis of the families of Indian Acanthopterygian fishes is taken, 

 with as slight alterations as possible, from that in the British Museum Catalogue 

 of Fish. Much investigation is, however, necessary before a satisfactory natural 

 classification can be eliminated. 



t There are exceptions; thus in some genera amongst the ScorptcnidcB the 

 rays are rudimentary, and in Teuthididce the ventral fin has 1/3/1. 



For exceptions, see genus Ambassis ; also Poey has recorded from Cuba a 

 genus nearly allied to Lutjanus, but having an interrupted lateral line. 



