220 
BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 
gals normally 7 (occasionally 6); cheeks and opercles always scaly; preopercle with its margin more or 
l ess serrate, rarely entire; the opercles usually ending in 1 or - flat, spine-like points; nostrils double; 
lateral line single, not extending on the caudal tin; skull without cranial spines, and usually with¬ 
out well-developed cavernous structure; no suborbital stay; post-temporal normal; second suborbital 
with an internal lamina supporting the globe of the eye; entopterygoid present; all or most of 
the ribs inserted on the transverse processes when these are developed; anterior vertebra; without 
transverse processes; dorsal spines usually stiff, 2 to 15 in number; soft dorsal with 10 to lit) rays; anal 
fin rather short, its soft rays 7 to 12, its spines, if present, always 3, in certain genera ( Grammistime, 
Rypticmw) altogether wanting; ventrals thoracic, usually i, 5 (i, 1, in Plesiopinu) normally developed, 
without distinct axillary scale; pectoral well developed, the rays branched, with narrow base; caudal 
peduncle stout, the tin variously formed; vertebra’ typically 10 + 14 = 24, the number sometimes 
increased, never more than 25; air-bladder present, usually small and adherent to the wall of the 
abdomen; stomach ciecal, with few or many pyloric appendages; intestines short, as is usual in car¬ 
nivorous fishes. Genera GO to 70; species about 400. Carnivorous fishes, chiefly marine, and found in 
all warm seas; several genera found in fresh waters. As here understood, the ,Sefnmii.hr comprise the 
most of the family of /VrciV/.r as understood by < liinther and others, exclusive of tin se with imperfect 
pseudobranchia*, those with 1 or 2 anal spines, those with the number of vertebrae increased, those in 
which the whole length of the maxillary slips under the preorbital, and thoseWith the anal tin many- 
rayed and the cranium shortened behind. As here understood, the Serranidse are essentially equiva¬ 
lent to the 8errtmhi:r and (Immmittintr of Boitlenger's Catalogue. Even after these eliminations, the 
family is considerably varied. Of the many recognized genera, only 3 are known to have representa¬ 
tives among the Hawaiian Islands. 
<t. Maxillary with a distinct supplemental bone; inner teeth of jaws depressible or hinged. 
6 . Dorsal spines not more than 9. 
c. Dorsal spines vm, the tin divided. .. Pikea, p. 220 
CC. Dorsal spines .. CephalupUbm p. 221 
l>b. Dorsal spines xi, rarely x. Epinephzlun, p. 2-2 
aa. Maxillary without supplemental bone; inner teeth of jaws not depressible or hinged. 
a. Patch of fine teeth on tongue; angle of preopercle salient with enlarged teeth; maxillary completely scaled; third 
dorsal spine longest, considerably produced .. . Odonta/ithiaa, p. 225 
dd. No teetli on tongue; angle of preopercle rounded, without enlarged teeth; only upper half of maxillary sealed; 
third dorsal spine not the longest and not produced. Pscudanthias p. 226 
Genus 124. PIKEA Steindachner. 
Body elongate, the caudal peduncle robust; mouth moderate, tlie lower jaw projecting; maxillaries 
scaly; teeth small, uniform, the inner depressible; preopercle finely serrate; operele with 3 flat spines; 
numerous pores on bead; scales large; lateral line with a Strong upward curve, as in Anthim; dorsal 
spines moderate, 8 in number, the third highest, the fin deeply notched; soft dorsal and anal short; 
caudal short, lunate; pectoral long," falcate; vertebra 10- 14. Few species known, mostly from deep 
water; only one thus far known from the Hawaiian Islands. 
Pikea Steindachner, Sitzb. Ak. Wiss. Wien, LXXI, 1S74, :175 (hinulata). 
170. Pikea aurora Jordan & Evermann. Plate XIV. 
Head 2.5 in length; depth 3; eye 5 in head; snout 4; interorbital 6.2; maxillary 2.25; D. vm, 
13; A. m, 8; scales 5-55-22; Hr. 7; gillrakers short and rather weak, about 9 + 5. 
Body moderately stout, the back slightly elevated, head rather long and pointed; snout depressed, 
the anterior profile nearly straight from tip of snout to occiput,; mouth large, maxillary reaching 
posterior margin of pupil, supplemental bone developed, the tip broad, 1.5 in orbit; mouth some¬ 
what oblique, the lower jaw strongly projecting; teeth in broad villiform bands on jaws, vomer, and 
palatines; tongue naked; eye moderate, high up, chiefly above axis of body; anterior nostril in a short 
tube, at 4 edge of prenasal; posterior nostril small, round, near upper anterior edge of orbit; edge of 
preopercle slightly dentate, especially on lower arm; operele ending in a broad flap with a weak, flat 
spine; pseudobranchiie rather small; interorbital low, very little convex; caudal peduncle stout, com¬ 
pressed, and very deep, the depth equaling snout and eye; fins rather small; origin of dorsal posterior to 
that of pectoral, slightly nearer base of last ray than tip of snout; dorsal spines low and weak, the third 
