REPRODUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT OF SCIAENIDAE 
49 
moderately blunt; lower jaw scarcely projecting; no black lateral stripe, 
sides generally with groups of black chromatophores; a large black 
branching chromatophore below base of last anal rays. _ Cynoscion regalis 
ii. Body more elongate; depth 3.6 to 4.0 in length to base of caudal; vent 
less than an eye’s diameter in advance of origin of anal; snout pointed; 
lower jaw projecting prominently; a black lateral stripe present on 
posterior part of body; a black band in front of eye, sometimes extend- 
ing through eye to opercle; no prominent black chromatophores at 
base of anal Cynoscion nebulosus 
KEY TO SPECIMENS 15 TO 20 MILLIMETERS LONG 
[Scales usually are developed at this range in size and sometimes the body is fully covered at a length of 20 millimeters] 
Anal fin with a single weak spine and 7 to 9 soft rays; mouth more or less inferior, nearly hori- 
zontal; lower jaw with a rather prominent knob at tip (which develops into a short thick 
barbel as the fish grows). 
b. Body moderately deep, greatest depth 3.6 to 3.8 in length to base of caudal; pupil almost 
perfectly round; caudal fin long and pointed, the longest rays being longer than head; 
anal with I, 7 (rarely 8) rays; spinous dorsal and ventrals with black chromatophores, 
not wholly black Menticirrhus americanus 
bb. Body deeper, greatest depth 3.25 to 3.4 in length to base of caudal; pupil elliptical; caudal 
fin broadly pointed, the longest rays in lower half of fin, notably shorter than head; 
anal with I, 8 (rarely 9) rays; spinous dorsal and ventrals black. Menticirrhus saxatilis 
bbb. Body quite elongate, greatest depth 3.75 to 4.2 in length to base of caudal; pupil elliptical; 
caudal fin asymmetrically rounded, the longest rays in lower half of fin, shorter than 
head; anal with I, 7 rays; spinous dorsal and ventrals not pigmented. 
Menticirrhus littoralis 
. Anal fin with 2 rather strong spines and 6 to 13 soft rays; lower jaw without a knob at tip. 
c. Snout more or less pointed; lower jaw projecting prominently; anal with IT, 9 to 13 rays 
(rarely II, 8 in Cynoscion nothus). 
d. Anal usually with 9, occasionally with 8 or 10, soft rays; body rather deep, the greatest 
depth 3.2 to 3.6 in length to base of caudal; caudal fin evidently very long and 
pointed, the longest rays longer than head; chromatophores small, forming indefinite 
blotches, blotches on back and in lateral line if present separate, not forming cross 
bars Cynoscion nothus 
dd. Anal usually with 11 or 12, occasionally with 13, soft rays; body rather deep as in C. 
nothus; caudal fin rather long and pointed, the longest rays about equal to length 
of head; chromatophores large, forming rather distinct blotches, those on back and 
in lateral line connected, forming more or less definite cross bars on anterior part 
of body Cynoscion regalis 
ddd. Anal with 10 or 11 soft rays; body slender, the greatest depth 3.9 to 4.1 in length 
to base of caudal; caudal fin short, broadly pointed, the longest rays notably 
shorter than head; chromatophores very small, arranged so as to form an indefi- 
nite lateral band and another band along base of dorsal and generally extending 
forward on head; no blotches or cross bars present Cynoscion nebulosus 
cc. Snout not pointed, usually short and blunt; lower jaw not projecting (except in Larimus 
fasciatus ) equal to or more usually shorter than upper jaw; anal with II, 6 to 8 rays, 
exclusive of Leiostomus xanthurus which has II, 12 or 13. 
e. Anal long, with 12 or 13 soft rays; second dorsal with 30 to 34 soft rays; body mod- 
erately deep, the greatest depth about 3.4 to 3.8 in length to base of caudal; margin 
of caudal fin distinctly concave Leiostomus xanthurus 
ee. Anal shorter, with 6 to 10 soft rays; second dorsal shorter, with 19 to 29 soft rays; 
margin of caudal rounded or pointed. 
/. Second dorsal with 19 to 22 soft rays; first dorsal with 10, 11, or 12 spines. 
g. First dorsal with 11 or 12 spines; anal with 8 to 10 soft rays. 
h. Head broad, spongy; eye small, shorter than the snout; interorbital 
notably broader than eye; anal with 8 soft rays; caudal fin long, 
pointed Stellifer lanceolatus 
