ACANTHOPTERYGII 663 



Fam. 16. Sciaenidae. — Also closely related to the Serranidae. 

 Dorsal fin with a short spinous and a long soft portion ; anal 

 much shorter than the latter. Palate usually toothless. 



A large family of about 150 species, mostly marine. Prin- 

 cipal genera; Arripis, Sciaena, Corvina, Otolithus, Ancylodon, 

 Xehris, Larimus, Pogonias, Hcqdonotus, Umhrina, Eques. 



Many of these fishes reach a large size, and the flesh of nearly 

 all is esteemed. The Meagre {Sciaena aquila) is sometimes 

 taken on our coast. The Drum {Pogonias clvromis) so called 

 from the sounds which it produces, in common with many other 

 Sciaenids, is remarkable for having the lower pharyngeal bones 

 united, as is also the case in the North American freshwater 

 genus Haplonotus. The air-bladder is usually large and compli- 

 cated, provided with more or less numerous appendages. 



Fam. 17. Gerridae. — Agree in the character of the vertebral 

 column with the Serranidae, but differ in the absence of a sub- 

 ocular shelf; the very protractile mouth usually descends when 

 protruded and the praemaxillary emits an upward lateral pro- 

 cess ; palate toothless ; lower pharyngeal bones usually large and 

 more or less completely coalesced. 



About 60 species of carnivorous, mostly small, fishes, from 

 the tropical seas, referable to 3 genera : Gerres, Equida, Gazza. 



Fam. 18. Lactariidae. — Intermediate between Serranidae and 

 Trichodontidae. No subocular shelf ; palate toothed ; branchio- 

 stegal rays 7 ; scales small, cycloid, deciduous ; spinous dorsal short ; 

 anal longer than the soft dorsal ; scapula with two foramina. 



Lactarius ddicatuhts, from the coasts of Southern Asia. 



Fam. 19. Trichodontidae. — Agree in the character of the 

 vertebral column with the Serranidae, but have no subocular 

 shelf ; body naked, and anal much longer than the soft dorsal ; 

 palate toothless ; only 5 branchiostegal rays. 



Two genera, each with a single species, from the North 

 Pacific, TricJwdon and Arctoscopus, bearing some resemblance to 

 the Trachinidae, with which they have usually been associated. 



Fam. 20. Latrididae. — Marine Fishes intermediate between 

 the Serranidae and the Haplodactylidae, agreeing with the former 

 in the extent of the anal fin, which is nearly as long as the soft 

 dorsal, and with the latter in the absence of a subocular shelf and 

 the posterior position of the ventrals. A single genus, Latris, 

 with 3 or 4 species, from the coasts of Australia and New Zealand. 



