782 



COMPENDIUM OF GENERIC DISTINCTIONS. 



Sub-family. Cyclopterina. Two dorsals. Twelve abdo- 

 minal, sixteen tail vertebrae. 



Genus. CYCLOPTERUS. As sub-family. Temperate seas. 



Sub-family. Liparidina. One dorsal. Twelve abdo- 

 minal, thirty tail vertebrae. 



Genus. LIPARIS. As sub-family. Temperate seas. 



Family. BATRACHID.31. Body short and wide. Teeth 

 conical and small. Spinous dorsal very short, soft, and anal 

 long. Ventrals under thrpat. 



Genus. BATRACHUS. Head broad and flat. Spinous 

 dorsal represented by three strong spines. Many seas. 



Family. PEDICTJLATI. Head and front of body very 

 large. No scales. Carpal bones prolonged into a pectoral 

 anus. 



Genus. LOPHIUS. Head flat. Six dorsal spines, three 

 on the head and isolated. Temperate seas. 



Genus. ANTENNARTOS. Three isolated dorsal spines. 

 Head compressed. Warm seas. 



Family. BLENNIID^E. Body long, low, cylindrical, 

 naked or small scaled. Dorsals occupying nearly whole of 

 back ; anal long ; ventrals under throat, composed of a few 

 rays, and sometimes absent. 



Genus, ANARRHICHAS. Molar teeth ; tail-fin separate. 

 Temperate seas. 



Genus. BLENNIUS. No molars. Spinous and soft parts 

 of dorsal fin nearly equal. Body naked. Single series of 

 immoveable teeth in jaws. Many seas. 



Genus. SALARIAS. Series of small moveable teeth in 

 gums. Tropical seas. 



Genus. CENTRONOTUS. Ventrals none or very small ; 

 scales small ; no lateral line. No anal spine. Gill mem- 

 branes united below throat. Temperate seas. 



Genus. ZOABCES. No tail-fin. Temperate seas. 



Family. TRACHYPTERID,. Body long, much com- 

 pressed, and naked. One dorsal occupying whole of back, 

 and supported by flexible but non-jointed rays. No anal fin, 

 and tail-fin not in line with axis of fish. 



Genus. TRACHYPTERDS. Ventrals large. Warm and 

 temperate seas. 

 Genus. REGALECUS. Ventrals reduced to long filaments. 



Family. ACANTHTTRID^. Body compressed. Lateral 

 line continuous. Mostly spines on sides of tail. Single 

 series of flattish teeth in each jaw. One dorsal ; anal with 

 either two or three spines. All tropical fishes. 



Genut. ACANTHTTRUS. Scales minute ; moveable spine 

 each side of tail. 



Genus. NASETJS. Ventral with three soft rays. Im- 

 moveable plates on sides of tail. 



Family. LABYEINTHICL Body rather compressed ; 

 scales moderate. Head also scaled. Lateral line absent or 

 broken. Bony laminated organ in a cavity above the gills. 

 Fresh waters of East Indies and South Africa. 



Genus. ANABAS, Teeth on vomer, none on palate. 



Family. ATHERINID1E. Body long, scaled; lateral 

 line indistinct. Mouth moderate ; teeth weak. Branchio- 

 stegals five six. Two dorsals. Ventrals on abdomen ; one 

 spine, five rays. Vertebrae very numerous. 



Genus. ATHERINA. Scales cycloid. First dorsal separate 

 from second. Snout blunt ; cleft of mouth straight and 

 oblique. Warm and temperate seas. 



Family. MT7G1LID.2E. Body oblong, compressed ; no 

 lateral line ; scales cycloid. Cleft of mouth narrow ; teeth 

 none, or feeble. Branchiostegals five six. Dorsals two, 

 short, first with four stiff spines. Ventrals on abdomen, 

 one spine and five rays. Twenty-four vertebras. 



Genus. MuaiLUS. No true teeth in jaws Warm and 

 temperate seas. 



Family. OPHIOCEPHALID.ffl.~ Body long ; head flat- 

 tened, and with shield-like scales above. Teeth in jaws and 

 on palate. A cavity for water, opening on the gills. One 

 long dorsal and anal, not spined. Many vertebrae. 



Genus. OPHIOCEPHALUS- With ventral fins. Fresh 

 waters of East Indies. 



Family. CEPOLID2E. Body very long and compressed ; 

 scales small and cycloid. Dorsal and anal very long, with 

 soft rays. Ventrals under thorax, one spine and five rays. 

 Branchiostegals : six . 



Genus. CEPOLA. As family. Many temperate seas. 



Family. CENTRISCID.ffi. Body deep, compressed, and 

 bones of mouth produced into a long snout. Body shielded 

 or cuirassed. Two dorsals, spinous, short, and with a single 

 strong spine ; ventrals small and on abdomen. Few ver- 

 tebrae. 



Genus. CENTRISCUS. Body with scales or prickles. 

 Many seas. 



Family. FlSTULARHXffi. Body much elongated; bones 

 of head produced into a long tube, ending in a small mouth. 

 Body shielded. Ventrals on abdomen, with six rays ; no 

 spine. Branchiostegals five. Many vertebrae. 



Genus. FISTULARIA. Body not scaled. Tropical seas. 



Family. MASTACEMBELID.. Body long and eel-like, 

 very small scales. Jaws very long, slightly moveable. No 

 ventrals. Gill-opening only a small slit under side of head. 

 Branchiostegals six. 



Genus. MASTACAMBELUS. Appendage of snout not 

 striated below. Fresh waters of East Indies. 



Family. LABRHXS!. (See page 350). Mouth with thick 

 fleshy lips. One dorsal, spined in front, rayed behind. 

 Ventrals under pectorals. Scales cycloid. Parchment-like 

 teeth on pharyngeal bones. 



Genus. HALICH^ERES. Dorsal low and long, reaching 

 from back of head nearly to tail. Anal rather long. Tail- 

 fin rounded. Head rather long and snout pointed. Tro- 

 pical seas. 



Genus. EPIBULUS. Jaw-teeth in single row, thoso of 

 pharynx conical. Tail-fin scooped. Scales large, lateral 

 line broken. Warm and tropical seas. 



Genus. LABRUS. Jaw- teeth conical in single row, or 

 with lesser teeth behind front row ; thoso of pharynx cylin- 

 drical, globular, or conical. Upper lip duplicate. Cheeks 

 and operculum scaly. Lateral line not broken. Many seas. 



Genus. SCARUS Head rather convex ; jaws covered with 

 overlapping teeth. Lips not duplicate. Lateral line broken 

 and irregular. Tropical seas. 



Order. MALACOPTERYGII Rays of the fins 



jointed, and mostly divided at the point. 



Sub-order. SUB-BRACHIL Ventral fins placed under 

 or in front of pectorals. 



Family. PLETTEONECTID^E. Body very much com- 

 pressed and scaled. Both eyes on same side of head. 

 Pectorals sometimes wanting. 



Genus. SOLEA. Jaws hidden under skin ; teeth ir. 

 several rows, on lower side only, cylindrical and minute. 



Genus. MONOCHIRUS. Pectoral wanting on lower side. 

 Temperate seas. 



Genus. AOHIRTJS. Pectorals wanting. Temperate seas. 



Genus. PLEURONECTES. Jaws apparent, not scaled. 

 Tail-fin distinct. Temperate seas. 



Genut. PLATESSA. Teeth in single row. Dorsal fin 

 commencing over upper eye. Temperate seas. 



Genus. HIPPOGLOSSUS. Teeth sharp, long, and curved. 

 Body rather narrow. Temperate seas. 



Family. GADID.33. Body long and scaled. Head sym- 

 metrical. 



