CHAPTER XII 



THE SHEEPSHEAD FAMILY 

 (Sparida) 



THIS family embraces the sheepshead, porgies, 

 and sea-breams. It is characterized principally 

 by a heavy, compressed body, strong jaws and 

 teeth, the front ones incisor-like and broad, and 

 flat, grinding teeth or molars in the back of the 

 mouth, like a pavement of small, rounded pebbles, 

 for crushing the shells of mollusks. 



Archosargus probatocephalus. The Sheepshead. Body short, deep, 

 and compressed, with large scales; head 3^; depth 2 to 2|; 

 eye 4; D. XII, 10 or 12; A. Ill, 10 or 11; scales 8-48-15; 

 mouth large, nearly horizontal, maxillary 2f in head ; incisors f , 

 entire in adult; molars in 3 series above and 2 below; gill- 

 rakers about 3 + 6 ; dorsal and anal spines notably heteracan- 

 thous ; frontal bone between the eyes convex and honeycombed ; 

 occipital crest broad and honeycombed. 



Stenotomns chrysops. The Scup. Body ovate-elliptical; head 3^; 

 depth 2; eye 4; D. XII, 12; A. Ill, 11 ; scales 8-50-16; pro- 

 file steep ; nape convex ; a strong depression in front of the eye ; 

 snout short; temporal crest obsolete; incisor teeth narrow; 

 molars in 2 rows above ; gill-rakers small, about 6 + 10 ; caudal 

 fin forked ; top of head, snout, orbitals, and chin naked ; a scaly 

 sheath at base of soft dorsal and anal fins ; scales on cheeks. 



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