Jordan and Evermann. Fishes of North America. 1117 



moving in scaly sheaths. Caudal forked. Ventrals large, I, 5, inserted 

 well behind the pectorals, a scaly process at their base ; pectorals narrow 

 and rather pointed, the upper rays longer than lower. Branchiostegals 

 7. Air bladder well developed, simple or with appendages anteriorly. 

 Species about 15, all American and referred to one genus. They are game 

 fishes, excellent as food, the habits and character of flesh resembling the 

 bass, as the common name Robalo * indicates. (Giinther, Cat., I, 80, genus 

 CentropomusA) 



490. CENTROPOMUS, Lac^ped^. 



(ROBALOS.) 



Centropomm, LAcfiPEDE, Hist. Nat. Poiss., iv, 248, 1802, (lucioperca, undecimalis, etc., restricted to 



undecimalis by CUVIEE & VALENCIENNES). 

 Oxylabrax, BLEEKER, Arch. Neerl. Sc. Ex. Nat., xi, 264, 1876, (undecimalis; the name Ceutropomua 



being restricted to lucioperca, the first species mentioned under the generic name Centropomm 



by Lacepede). 

 Macrocephalus (BROWNE) BLEEKER, op. cit., xi, 336, 1876, (undecimalis). 



Characters of genus included above, (/c&rpov, spine; nu^a, opercle.) 



a. Preorbital entire or very faintly serrated; spines of fins moderate, none more than half head; 



lateral line black, with about 70 scales (pores); caudal fin short; air bladder usually 



with recurved appendages at its anterior end; anal with 6 soft rays, the last cleft to the 



base. Size large. 



b. Appendages to air bladder developed; ventral fins yellow in life, the posterior part with- 



out dark blotch. 



c. Appendages to air bladder very long, 2 to 3 times diameter of eye ; third anal spine 



projecting beyond second. VIRIDIS, 1515. 



cc. Appendages to air bladder short, shorter than eye; second anal spine projecting 



beyond third. UNDECIMALIS, 1516. 



bb. Appendages to air bladder obsolete; second anal spine usually shorter than third, less 



than half depth of body; ventrals more or less blackish. NIGRESCENS, 1517. 



aa. Preorbital with well-developed retrorse teeth, especially posteriorly; air bladder without 



appendages; spines longer. Size comparatively small. 

 d. Lateral line in a narrow black streak. 



e. Scalea moderate or large, 50 to 60 in lateral line; second anal spine very strong; 

 ventrals more or less dusky; usually broadly tipped with black; anal rays 

 III, 7, the second spine a little shorter than third. 



/. Scales in lateral line 57 to 60; second anal spine very long, 1% to lg in head; 

 depth of body 3% in length. PEDIMACULA, 1518. 



ff. Scales in lateral line 51 or 52; second anal spine 1% in head. 



g. Body rather stout, the depth about 3^ in length. GRANDOCULATUS, 1519. 



gg. Body more slender, the depth 3% in length. CUVIERI, 1520. 



ee. Scales small, about 70 in lateral line; ventrals pale; second anal spine strong, equal 



to depth of body; anal rays III, 6. MEXICANXJS, 1521. 



dd. Lateral line pale, not in a dark stripe; ventral fins yellowish, without black tip. 



h. Scales very small, about 87; sides of body parallel with each other; second anal 

 spine longer than third, equal to depth of body; anal rays III, 6. 



PARALLELUS, 1522. 



hh. Scales small, 65; second anal spine very long, about equal to depth of body; third 

 anal spine same length; angle of preopercle with about 6 long, comb-like 

 teeth; anal rays III, 7. PECTINATCS, 1623. 



* Robalo is the Spanish name of the European bass, Dicentrarchn* (or Morone) labrax. 



fDr. Boulenger adds to this group the old world genera, Late* and Psammoperca. These genera 

 are apparently allied to Centropomm, but in them there are 11 or 12 precaudal vertebrae, 25 in all, 

 the dorsals ar connected, and there are numerous minor differences. 



