2882 Bulletin ^7, United States National Museum. 



ddd. Anal spines 3, never 2 nor 1 ; dorsal fin continuous or divided ; 



vertebrae 24 to 35. 



e. Vomer, and usually palatines also, with teeth. 

 /. Anal fin shorter than dorsal; head not everywhere covered with 

 rough scales ; postocular part of head not shortened. 



CXLVI, SERRANID.E, 1126. 



ff. Anal fin scarcely shorter than dorsal and similar to it ; head and 

 body everywhere covered with rough scales; body deep, 

 compressed, the posterior part of head shortened. 



CXLVIII, PRIACANTHIIXE, 1236. 



ee. Vomer without teeth; dorsal fin continuous; body deep, com- 

 pressed CXL VII, LOBOTID.E, 1235. 



6&. Maxillary slipping for most of its length under the edge of the 

 preorbital, which forms a more or less distinct sheath; 

 ventrals with an accessory scale ; opercle without spines ; 

 maxillary without supplemental bone; anal spines 3, 

 rarely 2. 

 g. Fishes carnivorous; intestines of moderate length; teeth in jaws 



not all incisor-like; vertebrae usually 24 or 25. 



h. Vomer with teeth, these sometimes very small ; maxillary long. 



CXLIX, LUTIANID.E, 1241. 



Jih. Vomer without teeth ; palatines and tongue toothless, 

 t. Teeth on sides of jaws not molar; maxillaries formed essentially 

 as in the Serranidce; preopercle mostly serrate. 



CL, HJEMULIDJE, 1289. 



ii Teeth on sides of jaws molar; maxillaries peculiar in form and 



in articulation ; anterior teeth conical or else more or 



less incisor-like; preopercle entire.. .CLI, SPARID.E, 1343. 



gg. Fishes herbivorous ; intestinal canal elongate ; anterior teeth in 



jaws incisor-like; no molars or canines; premaxillaries 



moderately protractile CLI V, KYPHOSID.E, 1380. 



oa. Mackerel-like fishes, with the caudal peduncle usually very 

 slender, the fin widely forked, the scales various, usually 

 not ctenoid; the dorsal spines various, anal fin long. 

 j. Scales firm, linear, parchment-like; body compressed; bones of 

 head rough; dorsal spines few; mouth small. 



CXXXVII, GRAMMICOLEPIDID.E, 973. 

 jj. Scales not linear, mostly cycloid. 



k. Dorsal spines numerous, most of them produced in long fila- 

 ments; pectorals very long..CXXIV, NEMATISTIID.E, 894. 

 kk. Dorsal spines mostly low, not more than 2 of them filamentous. 

 1. Dorsal fin very long', all the rays soft ; skeleton soft. 



CXXXVI, ICOSTEID.E. 968. 

 II. Dorsal fin with 3 or more spines, 

 m. Dorsal fin divided, the spines 6 to 12 in number. 

 n. Scales weak, cycloid; jaws without canines. 



CXXVIII, NOMEID.E, 948. 



nn. Scales ciliate; jaws with canines. ..CXXVI, POMATOMID^E, 945. 

 nnn. Scales firm, each with a median ridge; no canines. 



CXXXIII, STEINEGERinXE, 960. 



mm. Dorsal spines 3 or 4, the fin not divided. 



o. Scales minute, body oblong, the shoulder girdle moderate. 



CXXXIV, CENTROLOPHID.E, 962. 

 oo. Scales rather large, firm ; body broad, ovate, the shoulder girdle 



very strong CXXXII, BRAMID.E, 956. 



BB. Body scaleless, smooth or armed with tubercles, prickles, or 

 O scattered bony plates. 



C. Breast with a sucking disk. 



D. Gill membrane free from the isthmus; no spinous dorsal; a large 



sucking disk between the ventral fins. 



CXCIX, GOBIESOCIDJE, 2326. 



