4.—A REVIEW OF THE SPAROID FISHES OF AMERICA AND 
KUROPE, 
By Davip Starr JorpaAN AND Bert I"ESLER, 
In the present paper is given a review of the genera and species of 
Sparide (porgies, snappers, grunts, ete.) found in the waters of America 
and Europe. The family of Sparide is here provisionally accepted 
with the limitations as given in the “Synopsis of the Fishes of North 
America” (Jordan & Gilbert, 1883). It is recognized as containing 
those perciform fishes which have maxillary and ventral sheaths and 
which lack the peculiarities of certain other groups. In this sense the 
family would contain the Sparide and Pristipomatide of Giinther or the 
Sparide, Hemulide (Pristipomatide), Lutjanide, and Pimelepteride, of 
Dr. Gill. While it is evident that the group as here accepted is a 
somewhat heterogeneous one, it is still doubtful what division it should 
undergo in order to represent most faithfully the relations of its con- 
stituent parts. For the present, therefore, we may leave the group as 
defined by Jordan & Gilbert: 
Body oblong, or more or less elevated, covered with moderate-sized, adherent 
scales, which are more or less strongly ctenoid or almost cycloid. Lateral line well 
developed, concurrent with the back, not extending on the caudal fin. Head large, 
the crests on the skull usually largely developed. No suborbital stay; mouth mod- 
erate or large, usually terminal, low, and horizontal. Premaxillaries protractile; 
maxillary without supplemental bone, for most of its length slipping under the edge 
of the preorbital, which forms a more or less distinct sheath; preorbital usually, 
but not always, broad; teeth various and variously placed; lower pharyngeals sep- 
arate; gills, four, a large slit behind the fourth; pseudobranchie large; gill-rakers 
moderate; gill membranes separate, free from the isthmus; preopercle serrate or 
entire; opercle without spines; sides of head usually scaly; dorsal fin single, con- 
tinuous, or deeply notched, sometimes divided into two fins, the spines usually 
strong, depressible in a groove; the spines heteracanthous, that is, alternating, the 
one stronger on the right side, the other on. the left; the spines 10 to 18 in number; 
anal fin similar to the soft dorsal, and with 3 spines; ventral fins thoracic, the rays 
I, 5, with a more or less distinct scale-like appendage at base; caudal fin usually 
_ more or less concave behind; air bladder present, usually simple; pyloric ewca few 
ormany; vertebre usually 10+14—24, 16+18—34 in one subfamily. 
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