FISHES OF CHESAPEAKE BAY 
357 
Lamellss. — Thin plates or layers. 
Lateral. — Referring to the side. 
Lateral line. — A series of mucus pores along the side of the fish and containing sense organs; often 
appearing either as a colored or white stripe. 
Mandible. — The lower jaw. 
Marbled. — Variegated; clouded. 
Maxillaries. — The outermost bones of the upper jaw, joined to the premaxillaries in front, and 
usually extending farther back than the latter. 
Molar. — A broad grinding tooth. 
Nape.-—' The back of the neck. 
Nares. — Nostrils. 
Nasal. — Pertaining to the nose. 
Nuchal. — Referring to the nape. 
Obtuse. — Blunt. 
Occipital. — Relating to the occiput. 
Occiput.- — The back of the head. 
Ocellated. — Having an ocellus or ocelli. 
Ocellus. — An eyelike spot; a dark spot with a lighter border. 
Opercle. — The thin, flat bone, one on each side of head, covering the gills; also called gill covers. 
Orbit. — Eye socket. 
Osseous. — Bony. 
Oviparous. — -Reproducing by means of eggs laid and hatched outside of the body. 
Ovum ( plural ova). — Egg. 
Palate. — The roof of the mouth. 
Palatines. — -Bones of the roof of the mouth, one on each side of the vomer, often provided with teeth. 
Papilla. — A small fleshy projection. 
Papillose. — Covered with papilla;. 
Parietal .- — Bone of the side of the head. 
Pectinate. — Having teeth like a comb. 
Pectoral. — Pertaining to the breast. 
Pectoral fins. — The anterior or uppermost paired fins, corresponding to the anterior limbs of the 
higher vertebrates. 
Peritoneum. — The membrane lining the abdominal cavity. 
Pharyngeal bones.— Bones behind the gills and at the beginning of the (Esophagus, usually provided 
with teeth. 
Plicate. — Folded; showing folds or wrinkles. 
Plumbeous.—- Lead colored; dull bluish gray. 
Postorbital. — Behind the eye. 
Premaxillaries. — The bones, one on each side, forming the front of the upper jaw, usually bearing 
most of the upper teeth. 
Preopercle. — A thin bone lying just in front of the opercle. 
Preorbital. — The bone lying just in front of the eyes. 
Protractile. — Capable of being drawn forward. 
Pseudobranchise. — Small gills developed on the inner side of the opercle. 
Punctate. — Dotted with fine points. 
Ray.— One of the bony or cartilaginous supports of a fin. Rays are either spiny or soft, the latter 
are either simple or branched. 
Recurved. — Turned backward or toward the point of origin. 
Reticulate. — Marked with a network of lines. 
Retrorse. — Turned backward. 
Rugose— Rough, wrinkled. 
Scute. — An external bony or horny plate. 
Serrate. — Notched like the edge of a saw. 
Setiform. — Having the form of a bristle. 
Snout. — The portion of the head which projects beyond the eyes. 
