THE FISHES OF NEW JERSEY. 413 



Order ANACANTHINI. 



The Spineless Jugular Fishes. 



A large group in the cold waters of northern seas, separated 

 from other typical fishes by the entire hypercoracoid. 



Key to the families. ^ 



a. Chin with barbel, rarely obsolete ; frontal ones without a triangular 



excavated area above. gadid^ 



aa. No barbels ; frontal bones paired, with triangular excavated area above, 



divergent frontal crests continuous- from forked occipital crest. 



MERLUCCIIDiE 



Family GADID^. 



The Cod Fishes. 



Body more or less elongate, caudal region moderate, coniform 

 behind and with caudal rays procurrent above and below. Mouth 

 large, terminal. Chin with a barbel more or less developed. Edge 

 of preopercle usually covered by skin of head. Suborbital bones 

 moderate. Gill-openings very wide. Gill-membranes separated 

 or somewhat united, commonly free from isthmus. Gills 4, a slit 

 behind fourth. No pseudobranchise. Air-vessel generally well 

 developed. Pyloric coeca usually numerous, but sometimes few 

 or none. Scales small, cycloid. No spines, fin rays all articu- 

 lated. Dorsal fin extending almost length of back, forming i, 2 

 or 3 fins. Anal long, single or divided. Caudal distinct, or con- 

 fluent with dorsal and anal. Ventrals jugular, attached to pubic 

 bone, each of i to 8 branched rays. 



Fishes chiefly of- northern seas, some living in the oceanic 

 abysses. Many are important food-fishes. 



Key to the genera. 



o. Gadin^. Anal divided as 2 separate fins, dorsal as 3. 



h. Lower jaw protruding beyond upper; barbel small or obsolete; 

 caudal concave behind. follachius 



