210 



CLASSIFICATION OF FISHES_, ETC. 



Centrarchus Cuv. {fig. 48.) Dorsal fin undivided^ 

 andj with the anal^ hav- 

 ing a number of short 

 but graduated spines 

 before the soft rays ; 

 mouth large^ subverti- 

 cal ; the lower jaw 

 longest ; preopercule 

 and giU covers smooth; 

 teeth in the jaws and 

 tongue close and even ; ventral beneath the pectoral ; 

 caudal fin truncate : representing Huro^ Priacanthus. 

 &c. 



C. sparoides. Cuv. pi. 46. 



Genera of uncertam affinities. * 



Diacope Cuv. Form and general aspect between a 



Serranus and a Spams ; body fusiform ; head pointed ; 



mouth large, horizontal ; the under jaw generally 



rather the longest ; pectoral fins invariably pointed ; 



dorsal fin single^ but emarginate, the spiny and the 



soft rays about equal ; caudal fin more or less lunated 



or lobed ; ventrals beneath the pectoral ; teeth of the 



jaws as in Serranus ; preopercule crenated, and w^ith 



a notch which receives a tubercle on the inter- 



operculum. 



revulina. Cuv. pi. 38. coceinea. Riipp. ii. pi 23. 2. 



lineolata. Riipp i. pi. 19. 3. erythrina. lb. fig. 3. 



argentimaculata. lb. tig. 1. nigra. lb ii. pi. 24. fig. 1. 



fulviflanuna. lb. fig. 2. annularis. lb. fig. 2. 



melanura. lb. ii. pi. 23. 1. c^ruleolineata. lb. fig. 3. 



Mesoprion Cuv. General structure of Diacope, but the 

 operculum terminates in a blunt angle, and is not 

 spinous ; preopercule lobed and crenated. 



uninotatus. Cuv. pi. 39. chrysurus. lb. pi. 40. 



* Some of these fishes I suspect are allied to Serranus, and others to the 

 Holocentrince, while Mesoprion may possibly be referred to the Sparincc. 

 The whole, however, appear to require a perfect revision. It is remarkable 

 that they have, in their pointed pectorals, one of the great natural charac- 

 ters of the Sparin<B. 



