Artificial Key to the Families of American Food and Game Fishes 



/. Vomer, and usually palatines also, with teeth. 



g. Anal fin shorter than dorsal; head not everywhere covered with rough 

 scales; postocular part of head not shortened. 



XLVIII, Serranid^, 370 



gg. Anal fin scarcely shorter than dorsal and similar to it; head and body 



everywhere covered with rough scales; body deep, compressed, 



the posterior part of head shortened L. Priacanthid^^, 401 



//. Vomer without teeth; dorsal fin continuous; body deep, compressed. 



XLIX, LoBOTiD^, 400 

 dJ. Maxillary slipping for most of its length under the edge of the preorbital, 

 which forms a more or less distinct sheath; ventrals with an acces- 

 sory scale; opercle without spines; maxillary without supplemen- 

 tal bone; anal spines 3, rarely 2. 

 h. Fishes carnivorous; intestines of moderate length; teeth in jaws not all 



incisor-like; vertebras usually 24 or 25. 

 i. Vomer with teeth, these sometimes very small; maxillary long. 



LI, LUTIANID^, 403 

 it. Vomer without teeth; palatines and tongue toothless. 

 j. Teeth on sides of jaws not molar; maxillaries formed essentially as in the 



ScrranidcE; preopercle mostly serrate LII, H^mulid^, 420 



jj. Teeth on sides of jaws molar; maxillaries peculiar in form and in articu- 

 lation; anterior teeth conical or else more or less incisor-like; pre- 

 opercle entire LIII, SparidtE, 436 



hh. Fishes herbivorous; intestinal canal elongate; anterior teeth in jaws in- 

 cisor-like; no molars or canines; premaxillaries moderately pro- 

 tractile LV, KYPHOSID..E, 450 



cc. Mackerel-like fishes, with the caudal peduncle usually very slender, the 

 fin widely forked, the scales various, usually not ctenoid; the dor- 

 sal spines various, anal fin long. 

 k. Dorsal spines numerous, most of thein produced in long filaments; pec- 

 torals very long XXXVII, Nematistiid^, 294 



kk. Dorsal spines mostly low, not more than 2 of them filamentous.. 

 /. Dorsal fin divided, the spines 6 to 12 in number. 



XXXIX, PoMATOMiD.^, 320 



U. Dorsal spines 3 or 4, the fin not divided XLIII, Bramid.^, 327 



AA. Body scaleless, smooth or armed with tubercles, prickles, or scattered 

 bony plates. 

 B. Anal preceded by 2 free spines (these lost with age; connected by mem- 

 branes in the very young) XXXVIII, Carangid^e, 296 



BB. Anal without free spines XXXII, Scombrid.^, 272 



III.— VENTRAL FINS PRESENT, THORACIC OR JUGULAR, THE NUMBER 

 OF RAYS NOT DEFINITELY I, 5 



A. Eyes unsymmetrical, both on the same side of head. 



LXXII, Pleuronectid.'e, 520 

 AA. Eyes symmetrical, one on each side of the head. 



B . Ventral raj's with or without spine, the number of soft rays more than 5. 



C. Tail isocercal, the vertebra; progressively smaller to base of caudal; ven- 



trals jugular; no spines in any of the fins. 



D. Jaws and vomer with strong canines; second dorsal and anal deeply 



notched; no barbel LXX, Merlucciid.^, 507 



DD. Jaws and vomer without distinct canines; chin usually with a barbel. 



LXXl, Gadid.^, 508 

 CC. Tail not isocercal, the last vertebra; not reduced in size. 



K. Ventral rays about 15; dorsal fin single, elevated .XLII, Lampridid.-e, 326 

 Eli. Ventral rays I, 6 to I, 10; dorsal with spines. 

 F. Body covered with firm serrated scales; anal spines 4; dorsal spines not 

 elevated XXX, Holocentrid.e, 264 



.'544 



