CAKANGID^. — LVI. 107 



back with about 35 dark wavy stripes. Head 3 ; depth 3^. D, 

 XI-12-V. A. 12-V. L. 2 feet. Atlantic, everywhere abundant, 

 one of the best known of food fishes. 



bb. Air bladder small ; top of head with a translucent area. (Pneumor- 

 tophorus Jordan & Gilbert.) 



272. S. colias Gmelin. Chub-Mackerel. Thimble Eye. 

 Dark blue ; sides soiled sUvery, in the adult showing dusky cloud- 

 ings ; back with about 30 dark wavy streaks, extending to just below 

 the lateral line ; eye large. Head 3 ; depth 3\. D. IX or X - 1 2 - V. 

 A. 12-V. L. 12. Warm seas, not rare N., a food fish of much 

 less value than the mackerel. (Eu.') (xoXias, old name of some 

 mackerel.) 



Family LVI. CARANGID^. (The Pompanos.) 



Fishes closely allied to the Mackerels, but with the vertebrEe in 

 moderate number, about 25. Anal fin always preceded by two 

 spines, which sometimes disappear with old age; finlets usually 

 few or none. Teeth all small. Coloration usually metallic silvery. 

 Genera, 25 ; species 180 ; in all warm seas ; most of them excellent 

 as food. 



a. Premaxillaries not proctractile (except in the very young); soft dorsal 

 similar to anal, both very long. (Scumbroulince.) 

 h. Maxillary without supplemental bone ; no pterygoid teeth: scales linear, 



imbedded Oligoplites, 131, 



aa. Premaxillaries protractile. 



c. Pectoral fins long, falcate ; anal similar to soft dorsal, its base longer 

 than abdomen; maxillary with supplemental bone. (Caranginie,) 

 d. Dorsal outline not less curved than ventral. 

 e. D. and A. each with one free finlet; body slender. 



Decapteeus, 132. 

 ce. D. and A. without finlets. 

 f. Lateral line with well developed scutes for its entire length. 



Tkachukus, 1.33. 



Jf. Lateral line with scutes on its straight posterior portion only 



(these sometimes few and small in species with the body 



compressed). 



g. Shoulder girdle with a deep cross-furrow at its junction with 



the isthmus; body oblong Tkachup.ops, 134. 



gg. Shoulder girdle normal. 

 h. Body oblong or moderately elevated, not as below. 



Cakas.^, 135. 

 hli. Body oblong-ovate, very strongly compressed, its out- 

 lines all trenchant, the anterior profile vertical; scutes 



almost obsolete Vomer, 136. 



fff. Lateral line without any scutes anywhere; body short and 



elevated, strongly compressed Selene, 137. 



dd.. Dorsal outline less strongly curved than ventral ; body compressed, 

 with trenchant outlines; scutes of lateral line obsolete. 



CULOKOSCOMBKUS, 138. 



