120 Mr. C. T. Regan on the 



&■ 



Fam. 21. Arripidiuae. 



Arripis scarcely deserves to be placed in a distinct family 

 from Glaucosoma, which it; resembles in the structure of the 

 mouth, the dentition, the presence of a pelvic axillary 

 process, &c. The spinous portion of the dorsal fin, of 9 

 slender spines, is much shorter than the extended soft-raved 

 part, which is considerably longer than the anal. The 

 lateral line ends or becomes indistinct at the base of the 

 caudal fin. Occipital crest short and parietal crests very 

 small ; vertebrae 25 (10+15); first 5 without parapophyses ; 

 first 3 rihs sessile, 



The absence of large muciferous channels on the frontal s, 

 the broad subocular shelf, the maxillary exposed as in typical 

 Serranidae and bearing a supramaxillary, the vomerine and 

 palatine teeth, and the 3 anal spines distinguish this genus 

 from the Sciaenidae, to which it is only remotely related. 



Fam. 22. Erytlirichthyidae. 



Mouth toothless, strongly protractile ; praemaxilaries 

 normally formed, their pedicels reaching an interorbital 

 depression of the frontals ; maxillary very broad, with a 

 well-developed supra maxillary which slips under the praeorbital. 

 In other characters essentially Lutianid ; vertebrae 24 

 (10+ II); first rib sessile, next 4 or 5 on very short para- 

 pophyses, last 2 or 3 on well-developed parapophyses. 



A single genus, Erijt/ificht/ujs, rather similar to drripis in 

 cranial osteology. 



Fam. 23. Lutianidse. 



Spinous dorsal well developed : soft dorsal not much 

 longer than anal j 3 anal spines; caudal with 1? principal 

 rays, L5 branched; pclvics thoracic, each of a spine and 

 5 branched rays, with a scaly axillary process. Two nostrils 

 on each side. Gill-membranes free from the isthmus ; 5 to 

 7 branchiostegals; 4 gills; pseudobranchiae present. Mouth 

 protractile; villiform or obtusely conical teeth in the jaws and 

 often on vomer and palatines ; each prsemaxillary ramus 

 with a posterior process or expansion internal to the 

 maxillary ; each maxillary ramus broadest distallv, not over- 

 lapped externally by the extremity of the praemaxillary, 

 slipping under the prseorbital and first suborbital for at least 

 the greater part of the length of its upper edge. Outer face 

 of palatine fiattish or concave, without distinct ridge. A 



