§32 The Bass and their Relatives 
semilineatus and other species abound in Japan, and many 
species occur about the islands of Polynesia. Epigonus tele- 
scopium is a deep-sea fish of the Mediterranean and Telescopias 
and Synagrops are genera of the depths of the Pacific. Pa- 
ramta with strong canines is allied to A pogon, and similar in color 
and habit. 
Allied to Apogon are several small groups often taken as 
distinct families. The species of Ambassis (Ambasside) are 
little fishes of the rivers and bays of India and Polynesia, 
resembling small silvery perch or bass. All these have three 
anal spines instead of two as in Apogon. Some of these enter 
rivers and several are recorded from hot springs. Scombrops 
boops, the mutsu of Japan, is a valued food-fish found in rather 
deep water. It is remarkable for its very strong teeth, although 
its flesh is feeble and easily torn. A still larger species in Cuba, 
Scombrops oculata, known as Escolar chino, resembles a barra- 
cuda. These fishes with fragile bodies and very strong teeth 
are placed by Gill in a separate family (Scombropide). Acro- 
poma japonicum is a neat little fish of the Japanese coast, with 
the vent placed farther forward than in Apogon. It is the 
type of the Acropomide, a small family of the Pacific. Eno- 
plosus armatus is an Australian fish with high back and fins, 
with a rather stately appearance, type of the Enoploside. In 
his last catalogue of families of fishes Dr. Gill recognizes Scom- 
bropide and Acropomide as distinct families, but their relation- 
ships with Apogon are certainly very close. Many genera 
allied to Apogon and Ambassis occur in Australian rivers. 
Several fossils referred to Apogon (A pogon spinosus, etc.) occur 
in the Eocene of Italy and Germany. 
The Anomalopide.—The family of Anomalopide is a small 
group of deep-sea fishes of uncertain relationship, but per- 
haps remotely related to Apogon. Anomalops palpebrata is 
found in Polynesia and has beneath the eye a large luminous 
organ unlike anything seen elsewhere among fishes. 
The Asineopide.— Another family of doubtful relationship 
is that of Asitneopide, elsewhere noticed. It is composed of 
extinct fresh-water fishes found in the Green River shales. In 
Asineops squamifrons the opercles are unarmed, the teeth 
villiform, and the dorsal fin undivided, composed of eight or 
