Jordan and Evermann. Fishes of North America. 1401 



from base to tip; Literal teeth of lower jaw larger tlian anterior. Pre- 

 opercle with its membranaceous edge serrulate, the bone entire. Lower 

 pharyngeal bones separate, their teeth all pointed. Gill rakers strong, 

 rather long. Vertebra3 about 14 + 10 (instead of lO-j-14 as in Sciamoids 

 generally). Pseudobranchise well developed; dorsal spines slender, the 

 finS closely contiguous; anal spines 1 or 2, very feeble, the soft rays 7 to 

 13; second dorsal long and low, more than twice length of anal; ventrals 

 inserted below pectorals, the pubic bone long and strong; caudal fin sub- 

 truncate or lunate. Large fishes chiefly of the waters of America, closely 

 related to the Old World genus Otolltlnts, from which they are distinguished 

 by the absence of canines in the lower jaw. All of them rank high as food 

 fishes; the flesh is rich, but in some species tender and easily torn; hence 

 the popular name Weak-fishes. (KVGOV, dog; Gxiov, Sciccna; the modern 

 Greek name of Untbrina cirrltosa.) 



OTNOSCION: 



a. Scales not very small, the lateral line having 55 to 75 pores, the number of transverse 

 series ranging from 55 to 85, heiiig not much in excess of tho number of pores; 

 head compressed, not truly conical ; upper jaw with distinct, canines, the band of 

 teeth in the upper jaw rather narrow, tho lower teeth small and in few series in 

 front, larger and unisonal on the sides. 



1). Soft rays of the dorsal and anal more or less closely scaled; gill rakers com- 

 paratively long and slender, 9 to 12 on the lower part of the arch, the longest 

 at least the diameter of the eye. 

 c. Soft dorsal of 20 to 23 rays. 



d. Caudal fin rhombic, the middle rays considerably produced. 



e. Snout short, bluntish, 4? in head; mouth small, little oblique, the 



' canines quite small ; color pale, with faint darker streaks ; axil 



pale, pseudobranclme sometimes wanting. D. IX-I, 20; A.I, 



8. ACOUPA, 1774. 



ee. Snout long, about 3 in head; maxillary reaching beyond eye; 



pectoral shortish, 15j in head; color uniformly silvery; axil 



brown. D. VIII-1, 21 or 22 ; A. II, 10. SQUAMIPINNIS, 1775. 



dd. Caudal fin deeply lunate; tho middle rays shorter than the upper 



ones ; coloration plain ; maxillary reaching beyond eye. D. IX-I, 



23 ; A. II, 10. OTHONOPTERUS, 1776. 



cc. Soft dorsal of 26 to 29 rays ; caudal fin subtruncate or double-truncate, the 



middle rays but slightly produced. 

 /. Coloration nearly uniform silvery. 



g. Caudal truncate ; body slender, the depth more than 4 in length ; 

 snout short ; maxillary not reaching beyond eye. D. X-I, 27 ; 



A. I, 11. OBLIQUATUS, 1777. 



gg. Caudal weakly double-concave; body deep, the depth 3 to 3| in 



length. 



A. Snout long, 3| in head, longer than eye. JAMAICENSIS, 1778. 

 hh. Snout short, 4fc in head, shorter than eye. D. X-I, 27 to 29, 

 A. II, 9 or 10. NOTHUS, 1779. 



ff. Coloration brownish silvery above, with many dark brown spots, 

 arranged in undulating streaks; body more or less compressed; 

 eye moderate, 5 to 7 in head; maxillary extending to below pos- 

 terior margin of eye, 2 in head; canines large; color brownish 

 silvery, with iridescent reflections, and marked with many small, 

 rather irregular dark-brown spots, some of which form undulat- 

 ing lines running upward and backward ; upper fins dusky, lower 

 yellowish. 

 3030 11 



