ARTIFICIAL KEY. 29 



Sbsies II. Ventral Fins present, thoeacic or jbghlae. 



A, Eyes unsymmetrical, both on same side of head. . Pleukonbctid^, 89. 

 AA. Eyes symmetrical. 

 B, Gill openings in front of pectorals. 



C. Body more or less scaly, or armed with bony plates. 

 D. Ventral fins united into one; no lateral line; gill membranes 



joined to isthmus. . . Gobiid^, 82. 



T)D. Ventral fins separate. 

 E. Top of head with a large sucliing-disk, modified from the spinous 



dorsal .... Echeneidid.e, 50. 



EE. Top of head without sucking-disk. 

 F. Ventral rays, I, 5. 



G. Suborbital with a bony stay which extends across the cheeks 

 to or towards the preopercle; cheeks sometimes entirely 

 bony. 

 H. Pectoral fin with 2 or 3 lower rays detached and separate. 



Triglid^, 76. 

 HH. Pectoral fin entire; slit behind fourth gill small, or 

 wanting. 

 /. Dorsal spines, 9 to 17 ; anal spines three ; eyes lateral. 



SCOEPiENIDjE, 72. 



//. Dorsal spines, four ; eyes superior. Uranoscopid^, 81. 

 GG. Suborbital stay wanting ; cheeks not mailed. 

 K. Dorsal spines all or nearly all unconnected by membrane. 

 L. Body elongate, subterete. . . . Elacatid.e, 51. 

 LL. Body oblong or ovate, compressed. 

 M. Caudal peduncle very slender, the fin widely forked. 



Cakahgid<e, 56. 

 MM. Caudal peduncle stout, the fin little forked. 



Steomateid^., 58. 



KK. Dorsal spines, if present, mostly connected by membrane. 



iV. Dorsal and anal each with 4 or more finlets ; scales minute- 



SCOMBEID^, 55. 



NN. Dorsal and anal without finlets, or with but one each. 

 0. Throat with two long barbels .... Mullid^, 67 

 00. Throat without barbels. 

 P. Anal preceded by two free spines (these often obsolete 

 with age). 

 Q. Scales very small, cj'cloid. . , Cakangid^, 56. 

 QQ. Scales moderate, ctenoid. . . Pomatomid^e, 57 

 PP. Anal without free spines. 

 R. Tail with a fleshy keel on each side. 



CarahgidjE, 56. 

 RR. Tail not keeled. 

 S. Dorsal fin very long, without distinct spines; 

 caudal deeply forked. . Coryphjinid^, 59. 

 88. Dorsal fin with distinct spines ; gill membranes 

 free from isthmus. 

 T. Vomer with teeth. 



XJ. Anal spines none; eyes on tup of head. 



UranoscopidjB, 81. 

 U V. Anal spines, one or two. 



