FAMILIES OF ACANTHOPTERYGII. 3 



Seventh group — Trichiuriformes. 



Body band-like and compressed. Cleft of mouth deep. Teeth in jaws and palate, several being strong 

 and conical. Dorsal and anal fins many rayed : ventrals, when present, in the form of a pair of scales : 

 caudal absent or forked. Vent remote from the end of the tail, and posterior to the ventral fins when such 

 are present. 



14. Trichiurklm, as defined for the group. 



Eighth group— Cotto-scombriformes. 



Dorsal fins placed close together or continuous, having fewer spines than rays, or the spinous portion 

 may be modified into tentacles, detached spines, or a suctorial disk : anal similar to the soft dorsal, sometimes 

 both fins are modified posteriorly into finlets: ventrals, when present, jugular or thoracic, never forming a 

 sucker. No prominent anal papilla. Vent remote from the end of the tail, and posterior to the ventral fins, 

 when such are present. 



15. Acanthuridce. A single dorsal fin with less spines than rays. One or more bony spines on either 

 side of the tail in the adult. 



16. Carangidce. Preopercle not articulated with the orbit. Body oblong, elevated, or subcylindrical 

 and compressed. Teeth, when present, villiform or conical. Spinous portion of the dorsal fin sometimes rudi- 

 mentary : the posterior rays of the dorsal and anal, may consist of detached finlets : ventrals, when present, 

 thoracic. Vertebra? 10/14 (Naucrates 10/16). 



17. Stromateidce. Preopercle not articulated with the orbit. Body oblong, and compressed. Barbed 

 teeth extend into the oesophagus. One long dorsal fin without any distinct spinous portion. Vertebras exceed 

 10/14. 



18. Coryphcenidce. Preopercle not articulated with the orbit. Body oblong or elevated, and compressed. 

 No teeth in the oesophagus. One long dorsal fin without any distinct spinous portion. Vertebrae exceed 10/14. 



19. Nomeidce. Preopercle not articulated with the orbit. Body oblong, more or less compressed. Two 

 dorsal fins, the spinous sometimes continuous with the soft portion, finlets occasionally present : anal spines 

 mostly indistinct : caudal forked. Scales cycloid, of moderate or small size. Vertebras exceed 10/14. 



20. Scombridce. Preopercle not articulated with the orbit. Body oblong, or slightly elongated and 

 compressed. Two dorsal fins, the first being sometimes modified into free spines, or an adhesive disk, whilst the 

 posterior dors&l and anal rays may be in the form of finlets. Scales, if present, small. 



21. Trachinidce. Preopercle not articulated with the orbit. Body low and more or less elongated. 

 One or two dorsal fins. Vertebra? exceed 10/14. 



22. Batrachidce. Preopercle not articulated with the orbit. Body low, and more or less elongated. 

 First dorsal fin consisting of a few free spines : ventrals jugular 1/2. 



23. Pediculati. Preopercle not articulated with the orbit. The spinous dorsal, when present, composed 

 of a few isolated spines which may be modified into tentacles : carpal bones forming a sort of arm for the 

 pectoral fin : ventrals, when present, jugular, having four or five rays. 



24. Cottidce. Preopercle articulated with the orbit. Body more or less elongated. Some of the bones 

 of the head usually armed. Pectoral fins with, or without filamentous appendages : ventrals thoracic. Body 

 scaleless, scaled, or with a single row of plate-like scales. 



25. Gataphracti. Preopercle articulated with the orbit. Head and body, more or less angular, 

 cuirassed with plates, or keeled scales covering the body. 



Ninth group — Gobiiformes. 



Spinous dorsal short and composed of flexible spines, the soft dorsal and anal being of equal extent : 

 ventrals when present, thoracic or jugular, having 1/5 or 1/4. A prominent anal papilla. Vent remote from 

 the end of the tail, and posterior to the ventral fins when such are present. 



26. Gobiidce. Preopercle not articulated with the orbit. Ventrals either united so as to form a disk, 

 or else placed close together : anal spines may be absent. 



27. Gallionymidce. Preopercle not articulated with the orbit. Two dorsal fins, the first with from four 

 to six flexible spines : ventrals wide apart. 



Tenth group — Bleniiformes. 



Body elongated and more or less cylindrical. Spinous portion of dorsal fin when distinct, may be as 

 fully or even more developed than the soft part : anal more or less elongated : ventrals. if present, thoracic 

 or jugular : caudal, when present, sometimes sub-truncated or rounded. Vent remote from the end of the 

 tail, and posterior to the ventral fins when such are present. 



28. Blenniidce. Preopercle not articulated with the orbit. Ventral fins when present, jugular : anal 

 spines few, or absent. Often a pro mi nent anal papilla. 



29. RJiynchobdellidce. Body eel-like. Anterior portion of the dorsal fin consisting of numerous free 

 spines : ventrals absent. No prominent anal papilla. 



b 2 



