Classification of the Percoid Fishes. 143 



Two genera, each with a single species, from Eastern 

 Australia, may be distinguished thus : — 



Dorsal 25-26, slightly shorter than anal ; pectoral 



normal ; vomer toothless Limnichthys, 



Dorsal 19, shorter than anal; pectoral with lower ravs 



thickened and modified ; vomer toothed Schizochirns. 



These fishes have been described by Waite (Rec. Austral. 

 Mus. v. 1904, pt. 3, p. 178, pi. xxiii. fig. 4, and pt. 4, 

 p. 241, pi. xxvi. fig. 3). 



Fam. 12. Leptoscopidae. 



Body elongate, moderately compressed, or cylindrical, 

 scaly; lateral line complete, running along middle of side. 

 Vertical fins without spines, the dorsal and anal long, with 

 the rays equal in number to the vertebrae below or above 

 them ; caudal of 12 or 13 principal rays; pectorals broad- 

 based ; pelvics well separated, in advance of the pectorals, 

 each of a spine and 5 branched rays. Mouth protractile, 

 terminal, very oblique, with the lower jaw prominent; 

 prsemaxillary ramus with a posterior expansion at its distal 

 end ; maxillary exposed, without supramaxillary, broadest 

 distally; jaws with villiform teeth. Head covered with 

 skin. Gill-membranes free from isthmus ; 6 branchio- 

 stegals ; 4 gills ; pseud obranchise ; opercular bones normal ; 

 suborbitals ossified, without subocular shelf. No meso- 

 pterygoid ; metapterygoid large, articulating with sphenotic. 

 Skull depressed, fiattish above; parietals separated by supra- 

 occipital ; a short occipital and no parietal crests ; exoccipital 

 condyles widely separated ; no basisphenoid. Post-temporal 

 forked, normally attached ; liypei'coracoid and hvpocoracoid 

 broad ; foramen in hypercoracoid ; radials 4, short and 

 broad, rigidly attached, 2f on hypocoracoid ; pelvic bones 

 flat, horizontal. Vertebrae 43-46 (10 + 33-36) ; prjecaudals 

 gradually increasing in length to the eighth ; parapophyses 

 absent or vestigial ; no ribs, but a series of epipleurals. 



The two genera, from the coasts of Australia and New 

 Zealand, may be distinguished thus : — 



Teeth in jaws, in 2 separate patches on vomer and on palatines. 



Leptoscopus, 

 Palate toothless ; head broad ; eyes superior Crapatalus. 



Fam. 13. Uranoscopidae. 



Body moderately elongate, cylindrical, naked or scaly; 

 lateral line running high. A short spinous dorsal often 



