Jordan and Evermann. Fishes of North America. 1881 



mm. Lateral line unarmed or with small hidden scales only; body 

 rather robust; no filamentous spines; top of head scaly; 

 preopercular spine with but 1 hooked process above. 



ASTROLYTES, 710. 



kk. Preopercular spine bifid or simple, witbout hooks or antler-like pro- 

 cesses above. 

 o. Vent very close behind veutrals ; supraorbital cirrus very high. 



ABCHISTES, 711. 



oo. Vent well behind ventrals ; supraorbital cirrus low or wanting. 

 p. Back with a distinct band of scales on each side above lateral line; 



head smooth above, the interorbital space flat or concave. 

 q. Interorbital space fiat; head without cirri above. 



ARTEDIUS, 712. 

 <j<j. Interorbital space concave; top of head with short cirri. 



AXYRIAS, 713. 



pp. Back covered with rough scales above ; head very rough. 



r. Preopercular spine more or less evidently bifurcate; a small 

 cirrus above eye. RUSCARIUS, 715. 



rr. Preopercular spine simple ; sides scaly below lateral line. 



RASTRINUS, 716 



ppp. Back with a series of larger plates along each side below base of 

 dorsal fin above lateral line; head naked above; sides with 

 scattered scales; body and head slender; skin above with 

 warty scales and prickles. ICELUS, 717. 



pppp. Back and sides wholly naked; preopereular spine simple, 

 strongly hooked upward. ARTEDIELLUS, 714. 



jj. Vomer with teeth, palatines with none ; the side with a series of bony 



keeled spiuous plates. 



t. Plates on head larger, similar to those along lateral line ; body very slen- 

 der, depressed above. KADULINUS, 718. 

 tt. Plates on head very small; body rather robust; preopercle with 4 

 spines, the upper hooked upward. SxELGlSTRUM, 719. 

 ii. Last gill arch with a distinct slit behind it. 



u. Sides of body with oblique serrated folds; preopercular spines small, 

 simple or bifid; gill membranes wholly free from isthmus; spinous 

 dorsal not emarginate; no palatine teeth; body slender; veutrals 

 moderate. 



v. Caudal fin truncate or slightly emarginate. 

 w. Back with a series of bony tubercles along base of dorsal; body not 



very slender. 

 x. Breast naked, with cross folds of skin, containing mucous tubes. 



TRIGLOPS, 720. 



xx. Breast with small scales and no cross folds. STERNIAS, 72]. 



ww. Back without bony tubercles along base of dorsal ; body very slen- 

 der ; lower rays of pectoral produced. PRIONISTIUS, 722. 

 vv. Caudal fin deeply forked; body very slender; lower pectoral rays 

 produced. ELANURA, 723. 

 uu. Sides of body without oblique, serrated folds ; no bony tubercles along 



dorsal ; bodj r very robust. 

 y. Back with 1 or 2 bauds of large rough scales ; lateral line without bony 



shields; palatines with teeth ; preopercular spine short. 

 z. Back with one band of scales ; ventrals greatly elongate ; gill mem- 

 branes free from isthmus ; spinous dorsal not notched. 



MELLETES, 724. 



zz. Back and sides with 2 separate bands of coarse rough scales ; ven- 

 trals moderate; spinous dorsal notched. 



a'. Gill membranes partly free, forming a broad fold across isthmus; 

 naked skin of body firm and thick. HEMILEPIDOTUS, 725. 



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