The Leather-Jacks 



i. Shoulder-girdle with a deep cross-furrow at its junction with the 



isthmus; body slender; Trachtirops, 303 



//. Shoulder-girdle normal; body deeper. 



/. Body oblong or more or less elevated, not as below. 



k. Teeth of jaws in few series or one, unequal or at least not forming 



villiform bands. 

 /. Maxillary very narrow; head small; teeth on vomer and palatines 



minute or obsolete ; Heinicaranx, 303 



II. Maxillary broad; head rather larger; vomer and palatines with 



teeth ; Carangtis, 304 



kk. Teeth of jaws equally small or wanting, forming villiform bands 



if present. 

 m. Teeth very minute, disappearing in the adult; no teeth on vomer 



or palatines ; Caranx, 308 



mm. Teeth persistent, in bands; vomer and palatines with minute 



teeth. 

 n. Soft dorsal with none of its rays produced in filaments; 



Caraiigoides, 308 

 nn. Soft dorsal with i to 6 rays produced in filaments. 

 0. Body moderately compressed, its edges not trenchant;. .Q'/«/fl, 308 

 00. Body deep, greatly compressed, its edges all trenchant. 



p. Soft dorsal lobe very high, lilamentous; Alectis, 308 



pp. Soft dorsal lobe low ; Hyiinis, 309 



/)'. Body broad-ovate, very strongly compressed; Vomer, 509 



hhh. Lateral line without any scutes; Selene, 31 1 



ff. Dorsal outline less strongly curved than the ventral; 



Chloroscomhrns, 312 

 ee. Maxillary without supplemental bone; pectoral short, not falcate. 



q. Forehead not much elevated; TrachinotHS, 313 



qq. Forehead more elevated; Zalocys, 319 



GENUS OLIGOPLITES GILL 



The Leather-Jacks 



This genus is characterized by the compressed, lanceolate body; 

 slender, unkeeled caudal peduncle; short, compressed, acute head; 

 sharp occipital keel; rather large mouth, with small, sharp teeth in 

 bands on jaws, vomer, and palatines; small, linear, extremely narrow 

 scales which are imbedded in the skin at different angles; unarmed 

 lateral line; and short pectorals. 



In our waters there are but 3 species, none of them of much 

 food-value. The common leather-jack or zapatero (Oligoplites 



297 



