206 PISHES. 



** Dorsal fln single, not divided to its base. 

 k. Fresh water species. 



I. Ventrals I, 5 ; dorsal spines 5 to 12 ; vent normal. B. 6. 

 m. Teeth on vomer ; anal spines 3 to 9. Cbntbarchid^, 92. 

 mm. No teeth on vomer ; anal with 2 (or 1) spines, the 

 second very strong. . . . Sclenid^, 94. 

 mmm. No teeth on vomer; no lateral line; dorsal with 

 five spines ; anal with three. , ELASSOMlDiB, 92 (5). 

 II. Ventrals 7-rayed ; dorsal spines 3 ; vent jugular. 



APHODODEBIDiE, 93. 



Kk. Marine species. 

 1. Cheeks mailed (as in Oottidm, etc.) 

 n. Body covered with bony, keeled plates; no dorsal 

 spines. . . . Agonidm, the Sea Pocbchers. 

 nn. Body with ordinary scales ; spinous dorsal many- 

 rayed. . . ScorpanidcBf the Sea Scorpions. 



3. With broad, cutting, incisor -like front teeth, or with 



crushing, molar-like lateral teeth or both ; scales rather 

 large ; usually a recumbent free spine in front of the 

 dorsal fin ; lower pharyngeals not united. 

 o. Opercular bones entire; vertical flns not much scaly. 



Sparidm, the Sea Breams. 



00. Preopercle denticulated ; soft parts of vertical fins 



densely scaly. . Pimelepteridm, the Fat-Fins. 



S. Body much compressed and elevated ; the soft rays of the 



vertical flns covered high up with ctenoid scales ; teeth 



villiform ; body often dark-banded. 



p. Dorsal with less than 10 spines, separated by a notch 



from the soft part; spinous dorsal scaleless. 



EphippidcB, the Moon Fishes, 

 pp. Dorsal undivided, with 10 or more spines, scaly 

 throughout; fins often filamentous. 



Chmtodontidm, the CJuetodonts. 



4. Ventrals wanting; scales minute; body high, much 



compressed. . Stromateidm, the Sareest Fishes. 



5. Ventrals jugular, few-rayed or wanting; body long and 



low ; dorsal fln very long, occupying most of the back, 

 at least half of it and sometimes all composed of flexible 

 spines; scales small or none; usually an anal papilla. 



