132 SPAE1D.E. 



Fam. 7. SPARID.E. 



Perciform fishes with a subocular shelf, usually without teeth on the 

 palate, the teeth in the jaws often either cutting in front or molar-like 

 on the sides, separate lower pharyngeal bones, gill-membranes free from 

 isthmus, 5 to 7 branchiostegal rays, and two nostrils on each side. 

 Spinous dorsal well developed, the soft not much more developed than 

 the anal ; latter with 3 spines. Praecaudal vertebra? with transverse 

 processes from the second or third, these processes bearing the ribs. 



Seas of the temperate and tropical regions ; one representative in the 

 fresh waters of Africa. 



1. SPAEUS. 



Linn. Syst. Nat. i. p. 407 (17GG), part. ; Cuv. Itegne Auiui. ii. p. 271 (1817), 



part. 

 Pagrus, Cuv. t. c. p. 272 ; Cuv. & Val. Hist. Poiss. vi. p. 141 (1830) ; Giiuth. 



Cat. Fish. i. p. 465 (1859). 

 Chrysoj/hrys, Cuv. & Val. t. c. p. 81 ; Giinth. t. c. p. 483. 



Body oblong or short, compressed ; scales moderate, feebly ctenoid ; 

 lateral line complete. Mouth moderate or rather large, protractile; 

 maxillary folding under the praeorbital ; canine teeth in front of the 

 jaws and rounded, molar-like teeth in two or three rows on the sides. 

 6 branchiostegal rays ; pseudobranchiae large. Dorsal with 11 or 12 

 spines, anal with 3, both fins with a scaly sheath at the base. Ventrals 

 below base of pectorals, with a scaly basal process. Vertebrae 24 

 (10 + 14). 



Distributed over the tropical and temperate seas of the world. 



1. SPARUS VAGUS. 



Chrysophrys vagus, Peters, Mon. Bcrl. Ac. 1852, p. G81, and Eeise Mossamb. iv. 

 p. 11, pi. ii. fig. 1 (1868). 



Depth of body about 1\ times in total length, length of head about 3 

 times. Snout with straight upper profile ; snout a little longer than 

 eye, which is 4 times in length of head; upper jaw projecting a little 

 beyond lower ; maxillary extending to below anterior third of eye ; lips 

 thick ; six conical, curved teeth in front of each jaw ; molariform teeth 

 on the sides in 3 rows in upper jaw, in 2 in lower ; 6 series of scales on 



