ARTIFICIAL KEY. 29 



SERIES II. VENTRAL FINS PRESENT, THORACIC OR JUGULAR. 

 A. Eyes unsymmetrical, both on same side of head. . PLEURONECTID^E, 89. 

 AA. Eyes symmetrical. 

 B. Gill openings in front of pectorals. 



C. Body more or less scaly, or armed with bony plates. 

 D. Ventral fins united into one; no lateral line; gill membranes 



joined to isthmus GOBIID^E, 82. 



\)D. Ventral fins separate. 

 E. Top of head with a large sucking-disk, modified from the spinous 



dorsal ECHENEIDUXE, 50. 



EE. Top of head without sucking-disk. 

 F. Ventral rays, I, 5. 



G. Suborbital with a bony stay which extends across the cheeks 

 to or towards the preopercle; cheeks sometimes entirely 

 bony. 



E. Pectoral fin with 2 or 3 lower rays detached and separate. 



TRIGLIDJE, 76. 

 HH. Pectoral fin entire; slit behind fourth gill small, or 



wanting. 

 /. Dorsal spines, 9 to 17; anal spines three; eyes lateral. 



SCORP^ENID^E, 72. 



II. Dorsal spines, four; eyes superior. UKASOSCOPIDJE, 81. 

 GG. Suborbital stay wanting ; cheeks not mailed. 

 K. Dorsal spines all or nearly all unconnected by membrane. 



L. Body elongate, subterete ELACATID^E, 51. 



LL. Body oblong or ovate, compressed. 



M. Caudal peduncle very slender, the fin widely forked. 



CARANGID^E, 56. 

 MM. Caudal peduncle stout, the fin little forked. 



STROMATEID^K, 58. 



KK. Dorsal spines, if present, mostly connected by membrane. 

 N. Dorsal and anal each with 4 or more finlets; scales minute. 



SCOMBRID.E, 55. 



NN. Dorsal and anal without finlets, or with but one each. 

 0. Throat with two long barbels .... MULLID., 67. 

 00. Throat without barbels. 

 P. Anal preceded by two free spines (these often obsolete 



with age). 



Q. Scales very small, cycloid. . . CARANGID^:, 56. 

 QQ. Scales moderate, ctenoid. . . POMATOMID^E, 57 

 PP. Anal without free spines. 

 R. Tail with a fleshy keel on each side. 



CARANGID^E, 56. 

 RR. Tail not keeled. 



S. Dorsal fin very long, without distinct spines; 



caudal deeply forked. . CORYPH^SNID^E, 59. 



SS. Dorsal fin with distinct spines; gill membranes 



free from isthmus. 

 T. Vomer with teeth. 



U. Anal spines none ; eyes on top of head. 



URANOSCOPID^E, 81. 

 U U. Anal spines, one or two. 



