1290 Bulletin 4.7, United States National Museum. 



the warm seas, most of them valued as food. Genera about 15 ; species 

 nearly 150. The group is very close to the Lutianidw on the one hand and 

 to the Sparidce on the other, while some of its members show affinities with 

 some Scicenidce and Serranidce. (Pristipomatldce, Giinther, Cat., I, 272-337.) 



a. Chin with a central groove behind the symphysis of the lower jaw. 



b. Mouth more or less wide, the jaws scarlet posteriorly in life ; soft parts of verti- 

 cal fins densely scaly to their margins. 

 c. Scales above lateral line arranged in very oblique series, not parallel with 



the lateral line. 

 d. Jaws subequal, or the lower included ; mouth little oblique ; gill rakers 



comparatively few and short. 



e. Dorsal spines 12, rarely 11; scales large; gill rakers few and 

 small (10 to 14 on lower part of anterior arch) ; frontal fora- 

 men a single or divided slit at the base of the high supra- 

 occipital crest in front. 



/. Mouth moderate or large, its cleft more than 1 length of head ; 

 back more or less elevated ; second anal spine strong, nota- 

 bly longer than third. H^EMULON, 537. 

 ff. Mouth small, its cleft less than ^ length of head ; body rather 

 elongate ; second anal spine small ; back and sides with 

 longitudinal yellow stripes; teeth weak; gill rakers 

 rather few and small; snout very short, 2f in head; 

 frontal foramina separate and placed some distance in 

 front of the very low supraoccipital crest; preinaxillary 

 spine very short, 4 in head. BRACHYGENYS, 538. 

 ee. Dorsal spines 13 ; anal fin low; preorbital low ; gill rakers in mod- 

 erate or rather large numbers, 12 to 18 on lower part of arch ; 

 lower jaw not projecting; mouth little oblique; body com- 

 paratively elongate, the depth 2f to 3J in length ; body with 

 longitudinal yellowish stripes; scales rather small; frontal 

 foramina long divided slits in front of supraoccipital crest ; 

 size small. BATHYSTOMA, 539. 

 dd. Lower jaw projecting beyond upper; snout very short ; gill rakers 

 comparatively long and slender, about 22 on lower part of anterior 

 arch ; frontal foramina 2 short slits close together j ust in front of 

 the high supraoccipital crest; dorsal spines 12 or 13. 



LYTHRULON, 540. 



cc. Scales above lateral line arranged in longitudinal series, which are through- 

 out parallel with the lateral line; dorsal spines 13 or 14; frontal 

 foramina narrowly oval, wholly separate, some distance in front of the 

 low supraoccipital crest ; premaxillary spine short, 3^ in head ; lower 

 jaw projecting. ORTHOSTCECHUS, 541. 



bb. Mouth more or less narrow, not scarlet within; soft fins naked or with scales 



on their basal parts. 

 g. Anal fin short, its rays III, 7 to III, 10 ; dorsal fin more or less emarginate, 



its spines rather robust. 



h. Body ovate, the back elevated ; depth greater than length of the 

 head; outer teeth of upper jaw enlarged; lips thick; second anal 

 spine strong ; soft rays of dorsal and anal scaly at bass. 



ANISOTREMUS, 542. 



hh. Body oblong, the depth usually less than length of head; lips not 

 very thick ; scales large, those above lateral line in series mostly 

 parallel with lateral line. 



i. Preopercle very sharply serrate, the serrae at angle much en- 

 larged, those below angle turned forward; outer teeth in 

 both jaws considerably enlarged; soft rays of dorsal and 

 anal more or less scaly ; second anal spine enlarged. 



CONODON, 543. 



