ACANTHOPTERYGII 653 



Synopsis of the Families. 



I. Gills four, a slit behind the fourth. 

 A. Two nostrils on each side. 



1. Ventrals with 1 spine and 6 to 13 soft rays. 



1. Berycidae. 



2. Ventrals with not more than 5 soft rays. 



a. Lower pharyngeal bones not completely uliited, showing at 

 least a median suture, 

 a. Gill-membranes nearly always free from isthmus. 

 * Ventrals little if at all behind the pectorals. 



t Third vertebra without transverse processes or with 



sessile ribs. 



§ A more or less developed subocular shelf, or inner 



lamina of the suborbitals supporting the eye-ball, 



sometimes reduced to a mere process of the 



second suborbital. 



II Eibs inserted on the transverse processes, when 



these are developed. 

 Body covered with very large bony scales ; ventrals with a very strong spine 



and 2 or 3 very short soft rays . . .2. Monocentridae. 



Dorsal very short, with few graduated, adnate spines, anal very long 



3. Pempheridae. 

 Spinous dorsal usually well developed, soft dorsal usually not mucli, more 



developed than the anal ; palate usually toothed 



11. Serranidae. 



Dorsal and anal fins elongate and formed mostly of articulated soft rays, the 

 spines feeble and few . . . . .12. Pseudochromididae. 



Dorsal and anal fins much elongate, without distinct spines ; body band- 

 like . . ..... 13. Cepolidae. 



Teeth in the jaws fused to form a beak . . 14. Hoplognaihidae. 



Soft dorsal and anal much elongate ; a separate spinous dorsal 



15. Sillaginidae. 

 Soft dorsal much longer than the anal ; a separate spinous dorsal 



1 6. Sciaenidae. 



III Ribs mostly sessile, behind the parapophysus ; 



body deep ; mouth moderately large and pro- 

 tractile. 

 Post-temporal forked, distinct from skull . .25. Scorpididae. 



Post-temporal completely ankylosed to the skull ; mouth very protractile 



26. Caproidae. 

 §§ Xo subocular shelf 



II Ribs mostly sessile, behind the parapophyses ; 

 anal spines 3 to 14. 

 Teeth conical ; palate toothed ; mouth feebly protractile 



4. Centrarchidae. 

 Teeth incisor-like ; fins densely scaled . 5. Cyphosidae. 

 Teeth conical ; palate toothless . . . .6. Lobotidae. 

 Maxillary very slender ; mouth very protractile . 7. Toxotidae. 

 No entopterygoid ; mouth very protractile . . 8. Nandidae. 



