46 
BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF FISHERIES 
bb. Body with a black longitudinal stripe on side; ventral outline of tail with a rather close-set 
series of dark spots, none of the spots especially enlarged; mouth less strongly oblique, 
the gape anteriorly about on level with middle of e 3 r e; vent situated behind midbody 
length, the distance from snout to vent being contained 1.75 to 1.8 times in length to 
end of notochord; body moderately elongate, the greatest depth 3.4 to 3.6 in length to 
end of notochord Cynoscion nebulosus 
aa. Body deeper, the greatest depth generally less than 3 (about 2.2 to 3.0) times in the length to 
the end of the notochord. 
d. Inside of base of primitive pectoral pale, never black; body moderately elongate; greatest 
depth generally more than 2.5 (about 2.6 to 3.0) times in length to end of notochord; 
vent at or near midbody length, the distance from snout to vent being contained about 
1.75 to 2.0 times in the length to end of notochord. 
e. Body without a dark longitudinal stripe on side; ventral outline without a continuous 
stripe, with or without a series of dark spots; vent almost at midbody length, the dis- 
tance from snout to vent being contained about 1.9 to 2.0 times in the length to end 
of notochord. 
/. No black cross bar at shoulder; ventral outline of tail with a series of well-separated 
black spots, one of the spots at about midcaudal length enlarged, generally with 
branching lines; chest and abdomen with a few large branching chromatophores; 
greatest depth 2.7 to 3.0 in length to end of notochord Cynoscion regalis 
//. Shoulder region with a broad ill-defined black cross bar (at least in fresh specimens) ; 
ventral outline of tail with several indefinite dark spots, also two on the back, 
none with branching lines; greatest depth about 2.6 in length to end of notochord. 
Bairdiella chrysura 
ee. Body with a dark longitudinal stripe on the side, one along the ventral outline of the 
tail and another one on the back; vent somewhat behind midbody length, the distance 
from snout to vent being contained about 1.75 times in the length to end of noto- 
chord; greatest depth about 2.7 in length to end of notochord . Menticirrhus americanus 
dd. Inside of base of primitive pectoral black; body quite deep; greatest depth generally less 
than 2.5 (about 2.2 to 2.5) times in length to end of notochord; vent notably behind 
midbody length, the distance from the snout to vent being contained about 1.5 to 1.7 
times in the length to the end of the notochord. 
g. Body robust anteriorly; a large vacant space between brain and cranium; preopercle 
with spines; mouth moderately oblique, the gape anteriorly not much above lower 
margin of e 3 ’e; maxillary reaching about to pupil Stellifer lanceolatus 
gg. Body more compressed anteriorly; no vacant space between brain and cranium; no 
preopercular spines; mouth strongly oblique, the gape anteriorly on level with 
middle of eye; maxillary reaching under middle of eye Larimus fasciatus 
KEY TO SPECIMENS 5 TO 6 MILLIMETERS LONG 
[The vertical fins, and sometimes the pectoral fins, are sufficiently developed to permit the enumeration of at least the soft rays] 
a. Anal fin long, with II, 9 to 13 rays. (Spines not always developed.) 
b. Body moderately deep, the greatest depth about 2.7 to 3.0 in length to base of caudal fin; 
mouth strongly oblique, the gape anteriorly only slightly below upper margin of eye; 
anal with 11 or 12 soft rays; body without dark stripes or bars; a prominent black chro- 
matophore present below posterior half of base of anal Cynoscion regalis 
bb. Body rather deep, greatest depth about 3.1 in length to base of caudal fin; mouth rather 
strongly oblique, the gape anteriorly about on level with middle of eye; anal with 12 or 
13 soft rays; body without dark stripes or bars; ventral outline behind vent with a series 
of small dark spots of about uniform size Leiostomus xanthurus 
bbb. Body quite deep, greatest depth 2.6 to 2.8 in length to base of caudal fin; mouth moderately 
oblique, the gape anteriorly usually on level with lower margin of pupil; anal with 9 
or 10 soft rays; a broad black ill-defined bar across chest and extending to shoulder; 
ventral outline behind vent with a single prominent black ehromatophore situated 
below last anal rays Bairdiella chrysvra 
aa. Anal fin shorter, with I or II, 6 to 8 ra\s. (Spines not always developed.) 
c. Body moderately slender, the greatest depth more than 2.2 times in the length to base of 
caudal; vent at or near midbod 3 r length, never more than an eye’s diameter in advance 
of or behind the midpoint between tip of snout and base of caudal. 
