COMPENDIUM OF GENERIC DISTINCTIONS. 



781 



Genus. BATRACHUS. Head broad and flat. Spinous dorsal 

 represented by three strong spines. Many seas. 



Family. PEDICULATI. 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. ANTENNARIUS. 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. BLKNNIUS. No molars. Spinous and soft parts of 

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

 movable teeth in jaws. Many seas. 



Genus. SALARIAS. Series of small movable teeth in gums. 

 Tropical seas. 



Genus. CENTRONOTUS. Ventrals none or very small; scales 

 small ; no lateral line. No anal spine. Gill membranes 

 united below throat. Temperate seas. 



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



Family. TRACHYPTERIDjE. 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. TRACHYPTERUS. Ventrals large. Warm and tem- 

 perate seas. 



Genus. REGALECUS. Ventrals reduced to long filaments. 



Family. ACANTHURID/E. 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. 



Genus. ACANTHURUS. Scales minute ; movable spine 

 each side of tail. 



Genus. NASEUS. Ventral with three soft rays. Immov- 

 able plates on sides of tail. 



Family. LABYRINTHICI. 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. ATHERINIDj<E. Body long, scaled; lateral 

 line indistinct. Mouth moderate; teeth weak. Branchioste- 

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

 spine, five rays. Vertebras very numerous. 



Genns. ATHERINA. Scales cycloid. First dorsal separate 

 from second. Snout blunt ; cleft of mouth straight and oblique. 

 Warm and temperate seas. 



Family. MUGILID^. 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 vertebrz. 



Genus. MUGILUS. No true teeth in jaws. Warm and 

 temperate seas. 



Family. OPHIOCEPHALID^E. 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 vertebra;. 



Genus. OPHIOCEPHALUS. With ventral fins. Fresh waters 

 of East Indies. 



Family. CEPOLID.^. 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^E. 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 vertebrse. 



Genus. CENTRISCUS. Body with scales or prickles. Many 

 seas. 



Family. FISTULARID^E. Body much elongated ; bones 

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

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

 Branchiostegals five. Many vertebra?. 



Genus. FISTULARIA. Body not scaled. Tropical seas. 



Family. MASTACEMBELID^E. Body long andeel-like, 

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

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

 Branchiostegals six. 



Genus. MASTACAMBELUS. Appendage of snout not striatad 

 below. Fresh waters of East Indies. 



Family. LABRID^E. (See page 350). Mouth with thick 

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

 trals under pectorals. Scales cycloid. Parchment-like teeth 

 on pharyngeal bones. 



Genus. HALICH.*RES. Dorsal low and long, reaching 

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

 i rounded. Head rather long and snout pointed. Tropical 

 seas. 



Genus, EPIBULUS. Jaw-teeth in single row, those 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 ; those of pharynx cylindrical, 

 globular, or conical. Upper lip duplicate. Cheeks and oper- 

 culum 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. M ALACOPTERYGIL Rays of the fins jointed, 

 and mostly divided at the point. 



Sub-order. SUB-BRACHII.Venitt.\ fins placed under 

 or in front of pectorals. 



Family. PLEURONECTID^E. Body very much com- 

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

 torals sometimes wanting. 



Genus. SOLEA. Jaws hidden under skin ; teeth in several 

 rows, on lower side only, cylindrical and minute. Many seas. 



Genus. MONOCHIRUS. Pectoral wanting on lower side. 

 Temperate seas. 



Genus. ACHIRUS. Pectorals wanting. Temperate seas. 



Genus. PLEURONECTES. Jaws apparent, not scaled. Tail- 

 fin distinct. Temperate seas. 



Genus. PLATESSA. Teeth in single row. Dorsal fin com- 

 mencing over upper eye. Temperate seas. 



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

 I Body rather narrow. Temperate seas. 



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

 metrical. 



Genus. GADUS. Head smooth. Teeth conical, in inter- 

 maxillaries, vomer, and lower jaw. Three dorsals. Bran- 

 chiostegals seven. Ventrals under throat and pointed. A 

 barbule on the chin. Colder seas. (Including Morrhua.) 



Genus. MERLANGUS. As Gadus, but no barbule. Manjr 

 seas. 



Genus. MERLUCIUS. Two dorsals, one long anal. No 

 barbule. 



Sub-order. APODES.TXo ventrals. Body long and 

 j snake-like ; skin thick and soft ; often with minute scales hid- 

 den in skin. 



Family. OPHIDINI. Swimming-bladder either closed 

 or wanting. 



Genus. AMMODYTES. Body long, with minute scales. 



Lower jaw longer than upper. Teeth none. Branchiostegals 



seven. Dorsal and anal very long, tail-fin forked. Many 

 seas. 



Family. ANGUILLID^E. Teeth comb-like. Gill-open- 

 j ings on sides. Pectoral fins conspicuous, dorsal and anal run- 

 ning round tail. 



Genus. ANGUILLA. Head and tail blunted. Seas and 

 rivers. 



Family. CONGERIDjE. Dorsal commencing close to 

 head ; skin without scales. 



Genus. CONGER.. Front nostrils in short tubes at end of 

 snout. Teeth of palate and vomer in straight, chisel-shaped 

 rows. Many seas. 



