SUB-CLASS VI 



TELEOSTEI 



103 



Family 1. Scombresocidae. 



Premaxüla and maxilla forming margin of upper jaw. Fectoral fins sornetimes 

 much enlarged, wing-like ; pelvic fins abdominal ; dorsal fin remote, opposiie the anal 

 fi,n ; all fin rays articulated and flexible, Scales cycloid. Eocene to Recent. 



Holosteus, Ag., from the Upper Eocene of Monte Bolca, and extinct species 

 of Belone, Cuv., and Scombresox, Lac^p., from the Miocene of Europe, are 

 referred to this family. 



Family 2. Pomacentridae. 



Short, laterally compressed, spinyfinned fishes, with denoid scales. Dentition 

 feeble. Falatines toothless. Pelvic fins thoracic, with one spine andfive divided rays ; 

 dorsal fin exfended, with numerous spines ; anal fin with two or three spines. Eocene 

 to Recent. 



Here are placed Odonteus, Ag., from the Upper Eocene of Monte Bolca, 

 and Priscacara, Cope, from the Eocene Green River Shales of Wyoming. 



Family 3. Labridae. Wrasses. 



Teeth on 



Brilliantly coloured fishes with cycloid scales and thick fleshy 

 margin of jaws powerful ; palate toothless. United lower 

 pharyngeals much thickened and forming a plate beset with 

 rounded, rarely acuminate grinding teeth; upper pharyngeals 

 usually separate, bearing similar teeth. Eocene to Recent. 



The wrasses chiefly inhabit tropical seas at the present 

 day. 



Phyllodus, Ag. (Fig. 180). Known only by pharyngeals 

 bearing smooth, thin, flattened grinding teeth. Grinding 

 surface of upper plate slightly concave, lower convex. 

 Teeth arranged in rows, the middle row large. Several 

 layers of successional teeth usually lie beneath those in 

 function. Eocene and Miocene; Europe and North 

 America. 



Nummopalatus, Rouault (Pharyngodopilus, Cocchi), (Fig. 

 181). Lower pharyngeals triangulär, covered with a pavement of numerous, 



small, round or oblong grinding teeth, 

 of which there are always several 

 superimposed layers. Upper pharyn- 

 geals separate, triangulär, covered with 

 grinding teeth. Eocene ; Virginia. 

 Miocene and Pliocene ; Europe. 

 Taurinichthys, Cocchi. Miocene. 

 pj^^ 18^ The existing genera Za&rws, Artedi, 



Nummopalatus muitidens, Münst. sp. Miocene ; Neu- and Scarus, Forsk., are also representcd 



dörfl a. d. March. ^, Lower pharyngeal with dentition. • .-i TTr»T-»pr Tprtinrip«? 

 5, An upper pharyngeal. Nat. size. m tüe Upper iCruarieS. 



Fig. 180. 

 Phyllodus vudius, Ag. 

 Lower pharyngeal denti- 

 tion, nat. size. London 

 Clay ; Sheppey (after 

 Cocchi). 



