Jordan and Evermann. Fishes of North America. 955 



Zeus fio?,* GMELIN, Syst. Nat., xiu, 1225, 1788, Normandy; after Poisson de Lune, Du HAMEL, 

 Des Peches, in, 74. 



/>H.S ;/i/<i/iix,* Buf-NNicii, Danske Selskr., m, 398, 1788, Elsinore, Denmark. 



Zeus regius,* BONNATERRE, Encycl. Ichth., 72, pi. 39, 1788, Torbay, England; aftnr Opah of 

 PENNANT. 



Zeus ntncmii, WALBAVM, Artcdi Piscium, 398, 1792, Norway; after Zeus cauda liiftirca of STROM. 



Scomber (juniteri, BLOCH & SCHNEIDER, Syst. Ichth., 38, 1801; after Scomber pelagicus of GUNNER; 

 specimens from near Throndhjem. 



Zens impcrialis, SHAW, Nat. Misc., iv, 140, 1803, Torbay; after Opah of PENNANT. 



Zem apah, SHAW, Genl. Zool., iv, 287, 1803, Torbay; after PENNANT. 



Lamp r is laula, LOWE, Fishes Madeira, 27, 1843, Madeira. 



Lampris yntlutus, CrviER & VALENCIENNES, Hist. Nat. Poiss., x, 39, pi. 282, 1835; JORDAN & GIL- 

 BERT, Synopsis, 453, 1883. 



Lampris hum, GVNTHER, Cat., n, 416, 1860; DAY, Fish. Great Britain 118. 



Lampris regius, GOODE & BEAN, Oceanic Ichth., 223, 1895. 



Family CXXXI. PTERACLID^E. 



Dorsal fin very high, continuous, with its rays all simple, not articulate 

 nor branched; anal similar to dorsal; ventrals jugular, inserted before 

 pectorals, about under the eye, their rays I, 3 or I, 5 ; scales firm, lobate 

 or emarginate ; dorsal and anal each with a basal sheath of enlarged 

 scales, the fin otherwise naked. Otherwise essentially as in the Bramidm. 

 Skeleton not examined, the vertebrae probably numerous, the attachment 

 of the ventrals to the shoulder girdle evidently unlike that seen in the 

 Bramidce. Two genera, with about 5 species ; small pelagic fishes, notable 

 for the very high fins. 



a. fVentral rays I, 3; lateral line faint, but present; dorsal beginning on head, its short rays 

 few (about 2 or 3) in number, the third or fourth ray longest; teeth on vomer and pala- 

 tines. PTERACLIS, 435. 



435. PTERACLIS, Gronow. 



Pteraclis, GRONOW, Acta Helvetica, vn, 44, 1772, (velifera). 

 Oligopodus, LACEPEDE, Hist. Nat. Poiss., n, 512, 1800, (velifera). 



Body oblong ovate, much compressed, deep anteriorly, growing rapidly 

 and regularly slender behind ; scales rather large, firm, each one with a 

 median horizontal furrow or emargination, these forming distinct 

 striated lines along the rows of scales. Lateral line not obsolete. A 

 sheath of very large scales along bases of dorsal and anal ; a long axillary 

 scale at base of ventral; scales on head and breast small. Caudal 

 peduncle slender, the caudal fin short, lunate. Vent nearly under pre- 

 opercle, the breast very short. Abdominal cavity extending much behind 

 vent, as in the flounders. Ventrals jugular in position, directly under 

 the eye, each of a feeble spine and about 3 soft rays. Pectorals moderate. 



* We have no means of knowing which of the three specific names given to this species in 

 1788, luna, gnttatus, regius, is entitled to priority. We have elsewhere regarded tho names of 

 Gmelin as prior to those of Bonnaterre, and we know of no reason for supposing the work of 

 Briinnich to be earlier than either. The still earlier name pelagians, given by Gunner, is an 

 error of identification, the Scomber pelagicns of Linnaius being a Corypluaia. 



t The Japanese genus, Cenlropholis, Hilgendorf, lias the ventral rays I, 5; lateral line obsolete; 

 dorsal beginning behind head, with about 13 graduated rays, the fourteenth ray longest; no 

 teeth on vomer or palatines. The type is Centropholis petersi, Hilgendorf. 



