142 TELEOSTEI : ACANTHOPTEKI. — XX. 



aa. Vertebrae typically 10 + 14; second anal soine well developed^ (Sd- 



ceniruB.) 

 X. Lower pharyngeals separate. 

 y. Lower jaw without barbels, 

 u. Teeth well developed, permanent in both jaws; lower pharyngeals 

 narrow, with sharp teeth. 

 d. Gill rakers slender, rather long ; mouth oblique ; A. inserted rather 

 posteriorly; preorbital narrow; slits and pores of upper jaw little 

 developed; preopercle serrate, its lowest spine enlarged, turned 

 downward; head not very broad, not spongy above. 



Baiediella, 174. 



dd. Gill rakers rather short and thick; anal further forward; snout 



with large pores, and 2 to 4 slits on its edge ; preorbital broad ; 



mouth inferior Sci^ma, 175. 



cc. Teeth very small, subequal, those in lower jaw lost with age ; lower 

 pharj'ngeals broad, with paved teeth; gill rakers short, but slender, 



otherwise as in Scicena Leiostomus, 176. 



yy. Lower jaw with one or more barbels (otherwise essentially as in Sci- 

 ana), 

 e. Lower jaw with several slender barbels at its rami; preopercle 



serrate Micropogon, 177. 



ee. Lower jaw with one thickish barbel at its tip; no air-bladder; 

 anal spine single; body long and low; preopercle crenulate. 



MENTICIHEHnS, 178. 



XX. Lower pharyngeals very large, completely united, with coarse paved teeth ; 

 snout, etc., as in Sciana. 



f. Lower jaw with numerous barbels along the rami; preopercle 



nearly entire Pogonias, 179. 



jy. Lower jaw without barbels ; preopercle obscurely serrate. 



Aplodikotus, 180. 



173. CTNOSCION Gill, (kucok, dog ; <r«an/a, sciana.) 



u. Soft dorsal and anal closely scaled. 

 b. Back and sides nearly uniform silvery, without spots. 



387. C. nothua (Holbrook). White Weak-pish. Body rather 

 deep ; snout short, bluntish; eye very large, 4 iu head. Head 3^ ; 

 depth 3f. D. X-1,28. A. II, 9. Scales 6-60-7. L. 12. Va. 

 to Fla. (Lat., spurious.) 



bb. Back and sides with irregular dark spots in undulating streaks. 



388. C. regalis (Bloch & Schneider). Weak-pish. Sque- 

 TEAGUE. Silvery, brownish above, and with bright reflections ; fins 

 without distinct spots ; snout sharp ; eye moderate, 5 to 7 in head. 

 Head 3^; depth i\. D. X-1, 29. A. I, 13. Lat. 1. 80. L. 2J 

 feet. Cape Cod to Fla., an abundant and most excellent food-fish. 

 aa. Soft dorsal scaleless ; back and upper fins with many conspicuous round 



black spots. 



389. C. nebulosus (Cuv. & Val.). Spotted Weak-fish. Sil- 

 very, back bluish. Head 3J; depth 5. D. X-1, 25. A. I, 10. 



