358 REPORT OF NEW JERSEY STATE MUSEUM. 



similar to anal. Ventrals reduced to a simple small osseous ap- 

 pendage at end of long pelvic bone, fixed, movable, often rudi- 

 mentary or entirely absent. 



Herbivorous fishes of the shores in warm seas closely related 

 to the Balistidce, differing chiefly in having the first dorsal as a 

 single spine, with a posterior rudiment sometimes, and a rough- 

 velvety skin. Species mostly of small size with little flesh of 

 bitter taste, and therefore not used as food. Two occur on our 

 coast. 



Key to the genera. 



a. Pubic bone with small terminal spine ; gill-opening short, nearly vertical ; 



D. and A. less than 40; pelvic spine movable; usually 2 series of strong 



retrorse barbs on dorsal spine. stephanolEpis 



aa. Pubic bone without spine at end ; gill-opening long, oblique ; D. and A. 



40 or more ; dorsal spine without barbs, inserted above orbit, alutera 



Genus StephanolEpis Gill. 



The Leather Fishes. 

 Stephanolepis hispldus (Linnaeus). 



Plate 7S- 

 File Fish. Thread File Fish. Fool Fish. 



Distinguished from the next chiefly by its generic characters, 

 such as the small spine at end of pubic bone, etc. 



I have no New Jersey examples. It reaches a length of 10 

 inches. 



Monacanthus hispidus Bean, Bull. U. S. F. Com., VIL 1S87, 



p. 133- 



Canthorintis hroccns Abbott, Geol. N. J., 1868, p. 826. 

 Canthorinus massachusettensis Abbott, 1. c. 

 Canthorintis segnifer Abbott, 1. c. 



