Jordan and Evermann. Fishes of North America. 1335 



can. (opOoS, straight; rtpitfng, used for TtpidrrjS, a saw, in reference to 

 the straight, evenly serrated preopercle.) 

 ORTHOPRISTIS : 



a. Soft dorsal and anal scaleless ; preoperclo more or less serrate behind ; mouth small; 

 temporal crest, which arises from behind the eye, very low and inconspicuous, 

 the upper edge below base of the high supraoccipttal crest, which originates over 

 the pupil. 



b. Scales small, in 80 to 95 series ; color" plain, depth 3 in length ; pectorals 1 in 



head; preorbital rather broad, 3 -5- in head; second anal spine as long as third, 



3J in head. FORBBSI, 1707. 



bb. Scales larger, in 55 to 65 oblique series; preorbital broad, less than 5 in head; 



second anal spine about as stout as third, more than 3 in head, not as long 



as iirst ray ; scales small; anterior profile not concave. 



c. Anal III, 10 or 11 ; snout short and sharp, more than 3 in head ; eye large, 

 about 4 in head. Form and general appearance of O. chrysopterus; 

 body oblong, compressed, the back elevated, the profile steep and 

 nearly straight, convex at the nape; preopercle finely and sharply 

 serrate; teeth small, outer above a little enlarged. 



d. Jaws unequal, the lower included; soft dorsal with 15 rays; scales 

 8-52-15; pectoral short, 1 in head; each scale with a bronze spot. 



REDDINGI, 1708. 



dd. Jaws subequal ; sof t dorsal 15 or 16 ; scales small, 9-58-18; gill rakers 

 very short and small, a;-) 12; pectoral falcate, long, equal to 

 In ad; maxillary scarcely reaching eye. Outline of dorsal 

 straight; spines low and slender; anal spines graduated; caudal 

 moderately forked, upper lobe the longer. Color pale gray ; pale 

 chalky-bluish streaks along the edges of the rows of scales ; a 

 pale streak below base of dorsal ; fins rather pale, the soft dorsal 

 mottled with darker. CHALCEUS, 1709. 



cc. Anal III, 12 or 13; snout long and sharp, less than 3 in head; jaws 

 equal ; maxillary not reaching to eye; preopercle very slightly serrate 

 above, the serra- blunt, obsolete below; gill rakers short and slender, 

 x+ 12; scales small; the crown, cheeks and pieces of the gill cover 

 covered with small scales ; snout in advance of the nostrils ; suborbitals 

 and lower jaw naked ; dorsal and anal spines inclosed in a deep scaly 

 sheath. Outline of dorsal slightly notched; anal rather high; pec- 

 toral shortish ; caudal well forked. 

 e. Second anal spine shorter than third, more than 5 times in head. 



/. Body ovate-elliptical, much elevated at shoulders, depth less 

 than 3 in body; scales comparatively small, 10-60-19; rays of 

 soft dorsal 16. Color metallic brownish-olive above, changing 

 to yellowish on belly ; indistinct golden streaks along rows 

 of scales ; yellowish and bluish blotches on fin membranes. 



CHRYSOPTERUS, 1710. 



ff. Body elongate elliptical, slightly elevated at shoulders; depth 

 3 in body; scales comparatively large, 8-60-16; dorsal rays 

 15. Color metallic grayish-blue above, yellowish below; 

 faint lighter streaks following the rows of scales; blotches 

 on the fin membranes. POEYI, 1711. 



ee. Second anal spine about as long as third, less thai 5 times in head ; 

 mouth small, maxillary 4 in head; snout short, 2^ in head; 

 spinous dorsal high, 2 in head. Body oblong, the back elevated ; 

 the profile convex at the nape, depressed above eye, thence per- 

 fectly straight to the tip of snout. Color brownish -gray above, 

 soiled silvery below ; upper parts with 8 diffuse cross bands as 

 wide as the interspaces, extending to below middle of sides; 

 membrane of opercle daik, some dark streaks following rows of 

 scales; dorsal with some dull orange and some pale round 



Spots. CANTHARINUS, 1712. 



