CHAPTER XV 



THE GROUPER FAMILY 

 (Serranidce) 



The fishes of this family are characterized by 

 an oblong body, more or less compressed, covered 

 with adherent scales of moderate or small size, 

 which are usually ctenoid ; the dorsal and ventral 

 outlines do not usually correspond ; premaxillaries 

 protractile ; teeth all conical or pointed, in bands, 

 present on jaws, vomer, and palatines ; pseudo- 

 branchiae large ; gill-membranes separate, free 

 from isthmus ; cheeks and opercles scaly ; pre- 

 opercle usually serrate ; opercle ending in one or 

 two flat spines ; lateral line not extending on the 

 caudal fin ; lower pharyngeals narrow, with pointed 

 teeth ; gill-rakers armed with teeth. 



Mycteroperca microlepis. The Gag. Body comparatively elongate 

 and compressed; head 2^; depth 3J; eye 6; D. XI, 16 to 19; 

 A. Ill, II ; scales 24-140-50; pores about 90; dorsal fin single, 

 its spines slender and weak; head long and pointed; mouth 

 large, the maxillary reaching beyond the eye ; teeth in narrow 

 bands, each jaw with two canines; gill-rakers few, 12 on lower 

 part of anterior arch ; scales very small, chiefly cycloid ; pre- 



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