BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 
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Teeth not setiform. 
Body deeper than long, covered with rough scales; dorsal spines 8; anal spines 3; soft fins very long Capboid/E. 
Body longer than deep. 
Gill-membranes broadly joined to isthmus; body long and low; no lateral line Gobiidae. 
Gill-membranes free from isthmus or very nearly so. 
Premaxillaries excessively protractile, their basal process very long, in a groove at top of cranium. 
Teeth small; scales large, silvery; spines strong Gerridje. 
Teeth none; spines slender Masnidac. 
Premaxillaries moderately protractile or not protractile. 
Lateral line incomplete or interrupted, running close to dorsal fin; dorsal spines very slender, continuous with the 
soft rays; body low, covered with small scales; anal fin very long Opisthognathidas. 
Lateral line, if present, not as above. 
Anal fin much longer than dorsal; body much compressed, the belly prominent Pempherididas. 
Anal fin not much, if any, longer than dorsal. 
Pseudobranchiae wanting or covered by skin; dorsal fin of soft rays, only beginning as a crest on the head; caudal 
widely forked. Pelagic fishes Cory ph .emd/e. 
Pseudobranchiae developed. 
Spinous dorsal of 2 or 3 short spines only; anal without spines; scales small, smooth Serranidae. 
Spinous dorsal, if present, not as above. 
Dorsal fin continuous, the spines few, slender; maxillary usually with an enlarged tooth behind; nape sometimes 
with an adipose appendage; anal fin long, even Malacanthidas. 
Dorsal fin continuous or divided, not as above. 
Perch-like fishes, the caudal peduncle not very slender, the scales well developed, ctenoid or cycloid; the dorsal 
with distinct spines; the anal with at least 1 spine, its soft rays usually few. 
Maxillary not sheathed by the preorbital, or only partially covered by the edge of the latter; ventral with its 
accessory scale very small or wanting; pectoral without accessory scale; sheath at base of spinous dorsal little 
developed; vomer usually with teeth; opercle usually ending in a spine. 
Precaudal vertebrae with transverse processes from the third or fourth to the last; ribs all but the last 1 to 4 sessile, 
inserted on the centra behind the transverse processes; anal spines 3; species silvery in color, the dorsal deeply 
notched, with 10 spines; vertebra 1.0+15=25 Kuhliidae. 
Precaudal vertebra normal, anteriorly without transverse processes; all or most of the ribs inserted on the trans- 
verse processes when these are developed. 
Anal spines 2, rarely 3; vertebra 24 or 25; dorsal fin divided. Marine fishes Cheii.odipteridas. 
Anal spines 3, never 2 nor 1; dorsal fin continuous or divided; vertebrae 24 to 35. 
Vomer, and usually palatines also, with teeth. 
Anal fin shorter than dorsal; head not everywhere covered with rough scales; postocular part of head not 
shortened Serranidae. 
Anal fin scarcely shorter than dorsal and similar to it; head and body everywhere covered with rough scales; 
body deep, compressed, the posterior part of head shortened Priacanthhue. 
Vomer without teeth; dorsal fin continuous; body deep, compressed Lobotidab. 
Maxillary slipping for most of its length under the edge of the preorbital, which forms a more or less distinct 
sheath; ventrals with an accessory scale; opercle without spines; maxillary without supplemental bone; anal 
spines 3, rarely 2. 
Fishes carnivorous; intestine of moderate length; teeth in jaws not all incisor-like; vertebra usually 24 or 25. 
Vomer with teeth, these sometimes very small; maxillary long Lutianidae. 
Vomer without teeth; palatines and tongue toothless. 
Teeth on sides of jaws not molar; maxillaries formed essentially as in the Serranidse; preopercle mostly serrate. 
Hasmulidae. 
Teeth on sides of jaws molar; maxillaries peculiar in form and in articulation; anterior teeth conical or else more 
or less incisor-like; preopercle entire Sparidae. 
Fishes herbivorous; intestinal canal elongate; anterior teeth in jaws incisor-like; no molars or canines; premaxil- 
laries moderately protractile Kyphosida:. 
Mackerel-like fishes, with the caudal peduncle usually very slender, the fin widely forked, the scales various, 
usually not ctenoid; the dorsal spines various; anal fin long. 
Scales firm, linear, parchment-like; body compressed; bones of head rough; dorsal spines few; mouth small. 
G KA MM ICO LEPIDIDAE. 
Scales not linear, mostly cycloid. 
Dorsal fin very long, all the rays soft; skeleton soft Icosteida:. 
Dorsal fin with 3 or more spines. 
Dorsal fin divided, the spines 6 to 12 in number. 
Scales weak, cycloid; jaws without canines Nomeidal 
Scales firm, each with a median ridge; no canines Stetnegeriidac. 
Dorsal spines 3 or 4, the fin not divided. 
Body scaleless, smooth or armed with tubercles, prickles, or scattered bony plates. 
Breast with a sucking disk; gill-membrane free from the isthmus; no spinous dorsal Gobiesocida:. 
Breast without sucking disk. 
Gill-membranes broadly attached to the isthmus. 
Ventrals completely united Gobiida:. 
Ventrals widely separated; body depressed; preopercle with a strong spine Caliaonymidae. 
Gill-membranes nearly or quite free from the isthmus. 
