50 
BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF FISHERIES 
hh. Head narrow, compressed, not spongy; eye larger, fully as long as snout, 
about as wide as interorbital; anal with 9 or 10 soft rays; caudal fin 
rather short, the margin round Bairdella chrysura 
gg. First dorsal with 10 spines; anal with 6 or 7 soft rays; head deep, compressed; 
mouth inferior; a series of short barbels generally visible on lower jaw; 
dark cross bars present Pogonias cromis 
ff. Second dorsal with 23 to 29 soft rays; first dorsal with 10 spines only. 
i. Body very deep, compressed, the depth 2.4 in length to base of caudal; mouth 
strongly oblique, the gape anteriorly above lower margin of eye; second 
dorsal with 24 to 27 soft rays; anal with 6 to 8 soft rays; caudal fin long, 
pointed; body with very large chromatophores, forming an indefinite band 
on anterior part of body; pectorals and ventrals largely black; spinous dorsal 
with big black spots Larimus fasciatus 
ii. Body more elongate, the depth being contained more than three times in length 
to base of caudal; mouth only slightly oblique, the gape wholly below the 
eye; caudal fin more or less rounded, not long and pointed. 
j. Second dorsal with 28 or 29 soft rays; caudal fin long, pointed, as long as 
head; a row of short, slender barbels visible on chin in some specimens. 
Micropogon undulatus 
jj. Second dorsal with 23 to 25 soft rays; caudal fin short, angulate, shorter 
than head; no barbels on chin Sciaenops ocellatus 
KEY TO SPECIMENS 30 TO 35 MILLIMETERS LONG 
[At this size the body generally is fully pigmented and frequently the color pattern of the adult is present] 
a. Anal fin with a single weak spine and 7 to 9 soft rays; mouth notably inferior, nearly or quite 
horizontal, the conical snout usually projecting beyond it; lower jaw with a very short thick 
barbel at tip. 
b. Ventral fins small, shorter than pectorals, not reaching beyond tips of pectorals; scales on 
chest not much smaller than on rest of body; sides with dark blotches or more usually with 
black bands. 
c. Body slender, greatest depth 3.8 to 4 in length to base of caudal; pupil round; anal rays 
typically 7, rarely 8; caudal fin long and pointed, the longest rays fully as long as head; 
sides with dark blotches, usually forming indefinite cross bars, not forming a V on the 
side under spinous dorsal Menticirrhus americanus 
cc. Body deeper, greatest depth 3.5 to 3.65 in length to base of caudal; pupil eliptical; 
anal rays typically 8, sometimes 9; caudal fin not long and pointed, angulate, the 
longest rays shorter than the head; sides usually with black cross bars, the second 
and third nearly or quite meeting on middle of side, forming a V under spinous dorsal. 
Menticirrhus saxatilis 
bb. Ventral fins large, longer than pectorals and reaching far beyond them; scales on chest 
notably reduced in size; body slender, greatest depth 4.05 to 4.3 in length to 
base of caudal; pupil eliptical; anal rays typically 7; caudal fin short, the lower lobe longest, 
notably shorter than head; sides with a few black dots, no large blotches or bars, color 
mostly silvery Menticirrhus littoralis 
aa. Anal fin with 2 rather strong spines; mouth superior, terminal, or only slightly inferior, the 
snout not projecting prominently; lower jaw with or without barbels, numerous if present. 
d. Snout pointed; lower jaw projecting prominently; barbels wanting; upper jaw anteriorly with 
enlarged canines, curved backward; body elongate, greatest depth 3.2 to 4.2 in length 
to base of caudal; anal with 9 to 13 soft rays (rarely only 8 in Cynoscion nothus). 
e. Body rather deep, greatest depth 3.2 to 3.6 in length to base of caudal; snout only 
moderately pointed; mouth oblique, the gape anteriorly somewhat above lower mar- 
gin of eye; lower jaw projecting moderately; caudal fin long, pointed, the longest rays 
longer than head; sides usually with dark blotches or dark bars, no longitudinal black 
bands present. 
/. Anal fin usually with 9, occasionally with 8 or 10 soft rays; sides generally with 
dark blotches in two series, one along the back and the other on the middle of 
the side Cynoscion nothus 
