110 
U. S. P. R. E. ESP. AND SUEYEYS-ZOOLOGY-GENEEAL EEPOET. 
Family SQUAMIPENNES, M ii 11. 
The structural peculiarities of this family, as far as investigated, are but few in number, and 
one of them, viz : the presence of scales over nearly the whole extent of the vertical fins, the 
spinous portion of the dorsal excepted, is met with, to a certain degree, in Sciaenoids, but the 
cavernous structure of the skull in the latter will always assist in detecting the true affinities of 
the various genera and species referable to either of these two families. 
The body of the Squamipennes is very compressed, and generally deep and short, protected 
with ctenoid or pectinated scales. The spinous portion of the dorsal being either continuous 
with the soft portion, else separated. The preopercle is spineless in the majority of cases, and 
somewhat spinous in others. The maxillar teeth assume various shape and structure : brush 
or bristle like, trenchant or cutting, and tri-lohed or serrated upon their edge, velvet-like, and 
even card-like, according to the genera. The palate being either toothed or toothless. 
Syn. — Squammipennes, Cuv. Regn. Anim. II, 1817, 332 ; 2d ed. II, 1829 ; &, ed. Illustr. Poiss. 104.—Cov. & Val. Hist, 
nat. Poiss. VII, 1831, 1. 
Squammipennae, Richards. Faun. Bor. Amer. Ill, 1836, 73. 
Squamipennes, Mull, in Wiegm. Archiv. f. Naturg. I, 1845, 136. 
Chaetodontidae, Bonap. Sagg. Distr. Anim. Vert. 1831, 106. 
Chaetodontoideae, Richards. Faun. Bor. Amer. Ill, 1836, 73. 
Chetodontidae, DeKay, New Y. Faun. IV, 1842, 97.— Storer, Synops. 1846, 85. 
The appellation of Squamipennes, expressing the family trait more generally than Chaetodon¬ 
tidae, is here adopted on that sole ground, although it has likewise priority of publication? 
EPHLPPUS, Cuv. 
Gen. Char. —Body sub-elliptical or sub-ciicular, provided with two contiguous dorsal fins ; the spinous or anterior one is 
scaleless, very much depressed at its junction with the soft, and capable of being folded into a dorsal groove. Anal fin preceded 
by three spiny rays. Pectoral fins sub-elliptical. Branchial apertures separated underneath by a very wide isthmus. Scales 
moderate sized 
Syn.— Ephippus, Cuv. Regn, Anim. II, 1817, 335 ; 2d. ed. II, 1829, 191 ; &, ed. Illustr. Poiss. 108.—Cuv. & Val. Hist, 
nat. Poiss. VII, 1831, 112.— DeKay, New Y. Faun. IV, 1842, 97.— Storer, Synops. 1846, 86. 
The genus Ephippus belong to that tribe of the family in which there are no teeth to the 
palate, hut on the other hand provided with brush-like teeth to either jaw ; in which, further¬ 
more, the preopercle is smooth or spineless, and the anterior dorsal separated from the second 
by a wide depression in its outline, although both fins are continuous at their base. 
EPHIPPUS ZONATUS, Grd. 
Spec. Char. _Head small; snout very short, abruptly declivous ; mouth quite small, posterior extremity of maxillary not 
extending quite to a vertical line which would be drawn across the anterior rim of the orbit. Eyes moderate sized. Branchial 
isthmus very wide. Extremity of first soft ray of ventrals filiform, and reaching the vent. Second anal spine much stouter than 
the first and third. Anal and soft dorsal sub-similar in shape or outline. Olivaceous grey above, yellowish beneath, transversely 
banded with black. 
The largest of the two specimens which we have had an opportunity to examine is not quite 
six inches in total length. The body, which is sub-circular in its profile, is very much com¬ 
pressed ; the greatest depth being equal to the length, the head and caudal fin excluded ; the 
