1402 Bulletin 4.7 , United States National Museum. 



i. Snout not very sharp, about 4J (4 to 4^) in head ; gill rakers long 



and slender, usually 5 |-10 to 12 in number; membranes of 



soft dorsal and anal more or less closely scaly, the scales 



readily deciduous. EEGALIS, 1780. 



ii. Snout very sharp, 3f to 3 in length of head ; gill rakers shorter, 



rather slender, 4-f 8 or 9 in number; membrane of soft dorsal 



and anal with very few scales, these readily deciduous. 



THALASSINUS, 1781. 



66. Soft rays of the dorsal and anal scaleless ; gill rakers comparatively short and 

 thickish, usually not longer than pupil, and but 6 to 8 on lower limb of the 

 arch. 



j. Coloration not uniform, grayish and silvery, the back with distinct darker 

 spots, lines, or reticulations; caudal tin truncate, or slightly double- 

 concave. 



k. Soft dorsal immaculate; back and sides covered with dark-brown 

 streaks and reticulations Avhich obscure the ground color, espe- 

 cially above the lateral line; lateral line in a pale streak, bordered 

 above and below by a darker one; lower parts silvery; fins 

 unspotted; body deep; snout not sharp, pectorals If in head. D. 

 X-I, 28; A. II, 9. EETICUI.ATUS, 1782. 



kk. Soft dorsal fin with conspicuous round black spots ; back and sides 

 covered with similar spots smaller than the pupil, larger than 

 those on the fins; snout acute, much longer than eye; pectoral 

 2i in head. D. X-I, 25 to 27 ; A. II, 10. NEBULOSUS, 1783. 



jj. Coloration nearly uniform, bluish gray above, silvery below ; no distinct 

 spots, on body or fins. 



I. Caudal fin somewhat lunate in the adult, the middle rays shortest, 



although more or less produced in the young; pectoral fin short, 

 not reaching tips of ventrals. D. X-I, 22 or 23 ; A. II, 10. 



PARVIPINNIS, 1784. 



II. Caudal fin always double-truncate or double-concave, the middle 



rays somewhat produced. 

 in. Pectoral fins reaching nearly or quite to the tips of ventrals, 



their length more than head. 

 n. Second dorsal of 20 or 21 rays. 



o. Scales small (12-86-rc), the number of pores in the 

 lateral line about 70; head rather long, com- 

 pressed and pointed; body slender; eye large; 

 pectorals If in head. D. IX-1, 20 ; A. II, 8. 



XANTHULUS, 1785. 



oo. Scales moderate (8-66-18), the pores in the lateral 

 line about 63 ; head large, bluntish ; body robust ; 

 snout short, 4 to 4 in head. D. X-I, 21 ; A. II, 9. 



ALBUS, 1786. 



nn. Second dorsal of 24 rays; scales rather large, in 8") series, 



the number of pores about 55 ; snout sharp, 4f in 



head; maxillary 2| in head; body robust; gill rakers 



2+9; caudal double-truncate; pect orals 1 in head; 



color gray, unmarked. MACDONALDI, 1787, 



mm. Pectoral fins short, reaching little past middle of ventrals, 



their length not more than head; body elongate; snout 



sharp, 4 in head. D. X-I, 21 ; A. II, 9. STOLZMANNI, 1788. 



ATRACTOSCION (arpa/cro?, spindle ; O-K tor, Scicena) : 



aa. Scales comparatively small; the number of pores in the lateral line 70 to 90, and 

 very much less than the number of transverse rows, which is from 85 to 150; 

 teeth of upper jaw in a rather broad band, 1 to 4 ot them usually more or less 

 canine-like, the canines generally small, and sometimes wholly disappearing 

 with age; lateral teeth of lower jaw not much enlarged; gill rakers usually 

 small and short. 



