52 FISHES OF NORTH CAROLINA. 



z. Anal spines 2; dorsal fins' separated, vomer 

 toothed. . Cheilodipterid^ (cardinal-fishes). 

 zz. Anal spines 3; dorsal fins continuous or 

 divided. 

 a'. Vomer toothed. 



6'. Body and head much compressed, and 



covered with small, very rough scales; 



eye very large . PRiACANTHiDiB (big-eyes) . 



66'. Body and head not greatly compressed, 



and not covered with rough scales; eye 



moderate.' Sekranid^ (sea basses). 



aa'. Vomer toothless; dorsal fins continuous; 

 body compressed, back elevated. 



LoBOTH)^ (thrashers). 



yy. Maxillary sheathed by the preorbital and 



slipping imder it for most of its length; an 



accessory scale in axil of ventral; no spine 



on posterior margin of opercle. 



c'. Vomer and palatines toothed; preopercle 



finely or obsoletely serrate. 



d'. Jaw teeth never incisors or molars, all acute. 



Ltjtianid^ (snappers). 



dd'. Jaw teeth mostly incisors, no molars or 



canines Kyphosid^ (rudder-fishes). 



cc^. Vomer and palatines toothless; preopercle 

 entire; jaw teeth incisors or conical in front, 

 molars on sides. 



Spabid.*; (scup, breams, etc.). 

 cc. Body scaleless, the skin smooth, prickly, tuberoulate, or with scattered bony plates, 

 e'. A sucking-disk on breast. 

 /'. Sucking-disk between ventral fins; no spinous dorsal fin; gill-membranes not 



united to isthmus GoBiESOOiD.aB (cUng-fishes). 



//'. Sucking-disk formed from ventral fins; dorsal spines present; giU-membranes 



united to isthmus Lipabidid^ (sea-snails). 



ee'. No sucking-disk on breast. 



^. GiU-membranes broadly united to isthmus; ventral fins imited. * 



GoBiiD^, in part (gobies) . 

 gg". GiU-membranes nearly or entirely separate from isthmus; ventral fins not 



united Cottid^ (sculpins). 



66. GiU-openings behind, above, or below pectoral fins. 

 h'. Mouth smaU; gill-openings in or behind upper axil of pectorals. 



Ogcocephalid.1! (bat-fishes). 

 hV. Mouth moderate or large; giU-openings in or behind lower axil of pectorals. 



i'. Mouth moderate, obUque or nearly vertical; pseudobranchise absent; body some- 

 what compressed; size smaU AntennakiidjE (frog-fishes). 



W. Mouth exceedingly large, horizontal; pseudobranchise present; body greatly 



depressed; size large : Lophiid^ (goose-fishes). 



aa. Ventral rays not always i,5. 



j'. Form unsymmetrical, the eyes and color being on one side, leaving other side blind 

 and colorless. 



k'. Eyes large, usuaUy weU separated; mouth moderate or large; teeth weU developed; 

 margin of preopercle not concealed by skin and scales. 



Plburonbctid^ (flounders). 

 kV. Eyes smaU, close together; mouth very smaU, more or less twisted; teeth rudimen- 

 tary or absent; margin of preopercle concealed by skin and scales. 



SoLEiD.si (soles). 

 jj'. Form symmetrical, the eyes and color not confined to one side. 



v. AU fins without spinous rays; a barbel on chin; ventral rays 2 to 7. Gadid^ (cods). 

 W. Some fins with spinous rays. 



m'. Ventral opening far forward (under head in adult); ventral rays 7; dorsal fin single, 

 with 3 or 4 anterior rays spinous; size smaU; fresh-water species. 



Aphredoderidje (pirate perches). 

 mm'. Ventral opening in normal position; ventral soft rays fewer than 5. 

 n'. Dorsal fins with some spines. 



o'. Upper jaw not produced in the form of a sword; fishes cit moderate or small 

 size. 



