1394 Bulletin 4.7, United States National Museum. 



shorter than the latter ; dorsal fins well separated ; body compressed ; scales 



large, ctenoid ; lateral line straight ; gill rakers long and slender ; caudal 



fin lunate. SERIPHUS, 569. 



bb. Teeth larger, very unequal; tip of upper jaw with one or two strong canines; 



enlarged teeth or canines on sides of lower jaw ; anal fin J shorter than soft 



dorsal, with 15 to 18 soft rays ; dorsal fins well separated, the interspace 



about equal to eye ; soft dorsal of 24 rays ; body compressed ; scales rather 



small, cycloid. ISOPISTHUS, 570. 



aa. Anal fin moderate, or short, of 7 to 13 soft rays, its length less than that of second 



dorsal ; dorsal fins contiguous ; lateral line arched in front. 

 c. Canine teeth, if present, not lance-shaped, tapering from base to tip. 



d. Lower jaw without canines at its tip, some of its lateral teeth sometimes 



enlarged ; tip of upper jaw usually with canines. 



e. Mouth very oblique, the lower jaw little projecting, the angle at base 



of mandible very prominent; body compressed. BUCCONE, 571. 



ee. Mouth little oblique, the lower jaw projecting at tip; angle at base 



of mandible little prominent; body subfusiform. CYNOSCION,572. 



cc. Canine teeth lance-shaped, widened toward the tip, then abruptly pointed ; 



canines of front of premaxillary largest ; about 2 canines on front of lower 



jaw on each side; outer teeth of upper jaw enlarged, somewhat lance- 



shaped ; outer teeth of lower jaw compressed ; air bladder with 2 horn-like 



processes; gill rakers moderate, slender; soft dorsal and anal fin scaly. 



SAGENICHTHYS, 573. 



II. Vertebrae 9 to 12+ 13 to 20, typically 10 -f 14, the number in the abdominal part of tlie 

 body being always less than in the caudal part ; dorsal fins contiguous, the soft 

 dorsal being long, much longer than the anal. 



/. Dorsal spines well separated, the first dorsal spine attached to the third or fourth inter- 

 neural, not more than 2 of the spine-bearing interneurals being placed between the 

 same pair of vertebrae ; soft rays of dorsal fin usually 17 to 32 (37 to 40 in Lonchiurus, 

 45 to 50 in Scicenoides) ; occipital crest not greatly elevated. 



g. Lower pharyngeals separate. 

 h. Lower jaw without barbels. 



i. Caudal fin moderately scaly, its distal portion usually more or less naked, 

 the scales not numerous enough to give a thickened appearance to the fin. 

 j. Teeth well developed, permanent in both jaws. 



k. Lower pharyngeals rather narrow, their teeth conic and mostly 

 sharp, none of them molar; outer teeth of upper jaw more or 

 less enlarged. 



Z.* Gill rakers comparatively long and slender ; mouth more or 

 less oblique; anal fin usually (but not always) inserted 

 posteriorly; preorbital usually narrow, flat; edge of snout 

 above upper jaw with the pores and slits little conspicuous 

 or obsolete. 



m. Skull excessively cavernous, soft and spongy to the 

 touch, the interorbital space very broad; eye very 

 small ; mouth large, oblique ; preopercle with a broad 

 membranaceous border, which is striated and fringed ; 

 scales small; spinous dorsal short and weak; anal 

 spines weak ; caudal fin pointed. 



71. Pseudobranchiai present; teeth subequal, all villi- 

 form, in narrow bands; soft dorsal long, of 30 

 to 35 rays; anal fin rather long; soft dorsal and 

 anal scaly; lower jaw projecting; vertebrae 

 10 4- 14 ; gill rakers long and slender ; air bladder 

 with two horns. NEBRIS, 574. 



* This character like many others passes away by degrees, leaving no sharp division 

 between I and II. 



