SUB-CLASS VI 



TELEOSTEI 



105 



anterior spine and not more than five divided ra/ys ; one or two dorsal ßns, the fore- 

 most pari with long spines. Eocene to Recent. 



The perches are predaceous fishes of the 

 tropical and temperate seas and fresh-waters. 

 Numerous fossil representatives occur in the 

 Tertiary formations of Europe and North 

 America. Some belong to extinct genera, such 

 as Paraperea, Sauvage, Smerdis, Ag. (Fig. 183), 

 Acanus, Ag., Mioplosus, Cope, and Erisma- 

 topterus, Cope. Others have been referred 

 to the existing genera Serranus, Pelates, Dides, Gerres, Labrax, and Lates, Cuv. 



Jb'iG. 183. 



Smerdis minutus, Ag. Oligocene ; Aix, 

 Provence. Nat. size. 



Family 3. Sparidae. Sea-breams. 



Brightly coloured, rather deep-hodied fishes, with very delicately serrated denoid 

 scales. Margin of jaws provided in front with conical or cutting teeth of different 

 shapeSj which are usually followed hehind hy several rows of round or oval grinding 

 teeth ; palatine and vomer toofhless. Pelvic fins thoracic, with one spine and five 

 divided rays : dorsal fin single, the anterior spinous pari almost similar to the 

 posterior soft part ; anal fin with three spines. Cretaceous to Recent. 



The sea-breams, which are easily recognised by their peculiar dentition, 

 live at the present day in the tropical seas, feeding especially on Mollusca 

 and Crustacea, which they crush with 

 their teeth. 



Sparnodus, Ag., occurs in the Upper 

 Eocene of Monte Bolca. Sargus, Cuv., 

 Trigonodon, Sismonda (Fig. 184), and 



J3. H 



Fig. 184. 

 Premaxillae of Sargus, oiiter (A) and inner 

 (B) Views. Recent; Mecliterranean. Nat. 

 size. 



Right premaxilla of Chrysophrys aurata, 

 Linn. Inner aspect. Recent ; Mediter- 

 ranean. Nat. size. 



Chrysophrys, Cuv. (Capitodus, Münst.), (Fig. 185), ränge from the Miocene to 

 existing seas. 



Stephanodus, Zittel. . Cutting teeth from Upper Cretaceous, Libyan Desert. 



The families Pristipomatidae, Scorpaenidae, Teuthididae, Xiphiidae, and 

 Chaetodontidae are represented in the Tertiaries by fishes scarcely differing 

 from the surviving forms. 



Family 9. Palaeorhynchidae. 



Elongated, low, and laterally compressed fishes. 

 heak ; jaws toothless or with very small denticles. 



Snout produced into a long 

 Vertebrae long and slender ; 



