184 
BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 
a. Chin with a central groove behind the symphysis of the lower jaw. 
b. Mouth more or less wide, the jaws scarlet posteriorly in life; soft parts of vertical fins densely scaly to their margins. 
c. Scales above lateral line arranged in very oblique series, not parallel with the lateral line. 
d. Jaws subequal, or the lower included; mouth little oblique; gillrakers comparatively few and short. 
e. Dorsal spines 12, rarely 11; scales large; gillrakers few and small (10 to 14 on lower part of anterior arch); frontal 
foramen a single or divided slit at the base of the high supraoccipital crest in front. 
/. Mouth moderate or large, its cleft more than one-third length of head; back more or less elevated; second anal spine 
strong, notably longer than third Hsemulon, 81 
ff. Mouth small, its cleft less than one-third length of head; body rather elongate; second anal spine small; back and 
sides with longitudinal yellow stripes; teeth weak; gillrakers rather few and small; snout very short, 2.66 in 
head; frontal foramina separate and placed some distance in front of the very low supraoccipital crest; 
premaxillary spine very short, 4.25 in head Brachygenys 
ee. Dorsal spines 13; anal fin low; preorbital low; gillrakers in moderate or rather large numbers, 12 to 18 on lower 
part of arch; lower jaw not projecting; mouth little oblique; body comparatively elongate, the depth 2.75 to 
3.5 in length; body with longitudinal yellowish stripes; scales rather small; frontal foramina long divided slits 
in front of supraoccipital crest; size small Bathystoma, 82 
bb. Mouth more or less narrow, not scarlet within; soft fins naked or with scales on their basal parts. 
g. Anal fin short, its rays in, 7, to in, 10; dorsal fin more or less emarginate, its spines rather robust. 
h. Body ovate, back elevated; depth greater than length of head; outer teeth of upper jaw enlarged; lips thick; 
second anal spine strong; soft rays of dorsal and anal scaly at base Anisotremus, 83 
hh. Body oblong, depth usually less than length of head; lips not very thick; scales large, those above lateral line in 
series mostly parallel with lateral line. 
i. Preopercle very sharply serrate, serrae at angle much enlarged, those below angle turned forward; outer teeth in 
both jaws considerably enlarged; soft rays of dorsal and anal more or less scaly; second anal spine enlarged. 
Conodon, 84 
ii. Preopercle finely serrate, serrae at angle scarcely enlarged, those below not antrorse; teeth subequal, or outer in 
upper jaw somewhat enlarged; gillrakers very short and weak. 
j. Soft part of dorsal and anal with series of small scales on membranes behind each ray; anal spines small or 
moderate, second little, if any, longer or stronger than third; body oblong, not elevated; scales above lateral 
line parallel with back; dorsal spines 12, soft rays 15 or 16; outer teeth of upper jaw slightly enlarged. 
Brachydeuterus, 85 
jj. Soft parts of dorsal and anal scaleless, except a low sheath at base; anal spines strong, second much longer and 
stronger than third; dorsal spines 12 or 13, the soft rays 11 to 14 Pomadasis, 86 
gg. Anal fin long and low, its rays hi, 10, to ill, 13; dorsal fin low, usually not deeply emarginate; anal spines small; 
preopercle finely serrate or entire; outer teeth of jaws slightly enlarged; gillrakers moderate, rather slender. 
k. Dorsal spines 12 or 13. 
l. Seales of body without series of small accessory scales at base; soft dorsal and anal naked or somewhat scaly; 
mouth small; temporal crest, which rises from behind eye, very low and inconspicuous, upper edge below 
base of high supraoccipital crest, which originates over pupil Orthopristis. 
aa. Chin with pores, but with no central groove at symphysis; preopercle finely serrate. 
to. Anterior profile concave above eye; snout gibbous; outer teeth in both jaws enlarged and blunt (appearance of 
Anisotremus) ; gillrakers small and slender; anal fin rather long, soft dorsal and anal scaleless.-GENYATREMUS. 
Genus 81. HIEMULON Cuvier. The Grunts. 
Body oblong, usually more or less elevated; mouth wide, maxillary long and curved, reaching 
to below eye, its tip extending to posterior end of preorbital; chin with a central groove behind 
symphysis; lower jaw included; gillrakers moderate; no teeth on vomer or palatines; teeth of jaws 
conical, outer series stronger, curved; lips and inside of mouth posteriorly commonly bright-red or 
scarlet in life; preopercle serrate, with no recurved hooks below; soft part of vertical fins completely 
covered with scales; scales above lateral line in series not parallel with it; a marked angle formed 
at junction of spinous and soft parts of dorsal; dorsal spines 12 or 11; second anal spine enlarged, 
generally larger and longer than third; caudal forked. 
There are 12 or 13 species of Hsemulon, all of them American and all important food-fishes. 
They are of fair size, the flesh is firm and sweet, and they find a ready sale. 
All the species have more or less of orange on inside of mouth, a trait of coloration not found in 
Pomadasis. The amount of redness is greatest in those species having the largest mouth. The young 
differ in proportion considerably from the adults. Besides the changes usual in other fishes, we may 
observe that in Hsemulon the young have the snout proportionately much shorter, so that the maxillary, 
although also much shorter in proportion, extends further back in Comparison with the eye. Nearly all 
the species have, when young, at least two more or less sharply defined, dark, longitudinal stripes along 
the side, one or more along the top of the head, and a dark spot at the base of caudal. These markings 
persist longer in some species than in others, but traces of them at least may be found in the young of 
nearly all the species of Hsemulon and Pomadasis. In a few species these markings persist during life. 
