GENUS SERIOLA CUl/IER 



The Amber-fishes 



Body oblong, moderately compressed, not elevated; occiput 

 and breast not trenchant; mouth comparatively large, with broad 

 bands of villiform teeth on both jaws, tongue, vomer, and pala- 

 tines; maxillary with a broad, strong supplemental bone; pre- 

 maxillaries protractile; scales small; lateral line scarcely arched, 

 forming a keel on caudal peduncle, not armed with bony plates; 

 sides of head with small scales; first dorsal with about 7 low 

 spines, connected by membrane; second dorsal very long, elevated 

 in front; anal similar to soft dorsal but not nearly so long, pre- 

 ceded by 2 very small free spines, which disappear in old fishes; 

 no finlets; ventrals very long; pectorals short and broad. 



Species of moderate or large size, often beautifully coloured; 

 most of them valued as food-fishes. 



Of the 8 species occurring in our waters 3 or 4 are good 

 food-fishes, and at least one is an excellent game-fish. 



a. Head longer than deep, the profile not very steep; a yellow 



lateral band. 



b. Dorsal rays 36 to 38. 



c. Mouth rather small, the maxillary barely reaching pupil, 2f in 



head ; dorsalis, 300 



cc. Mouth large, the maxillary reaching middle of eye, z\ in 



head ; ^onata, 300 



bb. Dorsal rays 30 to 34. 



d. Body slender, the depth j,\ to 3! in length; lalandi, 301 



dd. Body deeper, the depth about 3 in length; dumerili, 301 



aa. Head deeper than long, the anterior profile steep; no yellow 



lateral band. 



e. Dorsal not falcate, its soft rays 32. 



/. Body rather elongate, the depth 3! in length; nuchal band 

 obscure ; ma^atlana, 301 



ff. Body rather deep, the depth 3 in length; dark nuchal band 

 distinct ; fasciata, 301 



ee. Dorsal and anal falcate, their anterior lobes more than half 

 depth of body, the dorsal rays 27 to 30. 



g. Nuchal band dark brown or black ; rivoliana, 30 1 



gg. Nuchal band pale yellow ; falcata, 301 



299 



