17 



niform, if ^present variously arranged on jaws, vomer, pala- 

 tines, pterygoids and tongue. Upper jaw formed mesially by 

 intermaxillaries and laterally by the maxillaries, the former 

 generally small, the latter sometimes produced beyond the 

 mandibulary joint. Dorsal rarely wanting, median or somewhat 

 posterior. Ventrals abdominal, with 6 11 rays; they are small 

 or may be wanting. No gular plate. Gillopening wide, gillmem- 

 branes not connected or only at their base, free from isthmus. 

 Branchiostegals 6. Pseudobranchiae generally present, 4 gillslits. 

 Airbladder contiguous with auditory organ. 



Artificial key to the subfamilies. 



A. No abdominal scutes. 



/. Belly sharp. Canine teeth. Scales very small . . . Chirocentrmae. p. 17. 

 2. Belly rounded. No canine teeth. Scales moderate. Dussumierinae p. 19. 



B. Keeled abdominal scutes. 



/. Mouth small, inferior, transverse. Maxillary with 

 one supplemental bone. No teeth. Gillmembranes 

 separate Dorosomatinae p. 23. 



2. Mouth large, lateral, snout prominent. Maxillary 

 with two supplemental bones. Always teeth in 



jaws. Gillmembranes more or less united Engraulinae p. 26. 



3. Mouth lateral, jaws equal. Maxillary with two 

 supplemental bones. Gillmembranes separate . . . Clupeinae p. 53. 



I. Subfam. Chirocentrinae. 



Very elongate and compressed. Scales thin, small, very 

 deciduous. Large axillary scales above and below pectorals 

 and ventrals. Two elongate scales on base of caudal. No 

 abdominal scutes, but abdomen with a sharp margin. Mouth 

 large, very oblique, bordered by large intermaxillaries and 

 long narrow maxillaries with two supplemental bones. Man- 

 dibulary very prominent. Canine teeth in mandibulary and in 

 front of intermaxillary, the other ones and those in maxillary 

 long and pointed. Few teeth on palatines and tongue. Eyes 

 subcutaneous, small. Dorsal above anterior part of long anal, 

 ventrals very small, about midway between caudal and end of 

 snout. Pectorals low down, folding like ventrals. Caudal deeply 

 incised. Gillmembranes separate, free. Branchiostegals 8. Thirteen 

 very short, strong, flattened gillrakers. No pseudobranchiae. 

 INUO-AUSTRALIAN FISHES II. 2 



