Dentex.—Body oblong, covered with ctenoid scales of moderate size. Cleft of the mouth nearly horizontal, with the jaws equal in length anteriorly. Canine teeth in both jaws; palate toothless. One dorsal fin. Formula of the vertical fins: D. 10·13/10·12 A. 3/8·9. Caudal fin forked. Præoperculum without serrature; præorbital unarmed and broad, there being a wide space between the eye and the cleft of the mouth. Cheek covered by more than three series of scales. Branchiostegals, six.
Marine Fishes, rather locally distributed in the Mediterranean, on the south coast of Africa, in the Red Sea, East Indian Archipelago, and on the coasts of China and Japan. About fourteen species are known, some of which attain a weight of 30 lbs. and more. They form a not unimportant article of food where they are found in any number, as on the Cape of Good Hope. The species found in the Mediterranean (D. vulgaris) wanders sometimes to the south coast of England, and is one of the larger species. The coloration of these fishes is rather uniform, silvery, or pink, or greenish. Symphorus is an allied genus from the Indo-Pacific.
Synagris.—Body rather elongate, covered with ciliated scales of moderate size. Cleft of the mouth horizontal, with the jaws equal in length anteriorly. One continuous dorsal, with feeble spines; dorsal 10/9, anal 3/7. Caudal deeply forked. Teeth villiform, with canines at least in the upper jaw. Infraorbital not armed; præoperculum without, or with a very indistinct serrature. Cheek with three series of scales. Branchiostegals six.
Marine fishes of small size; about twenty species are known from the tropical parts of the Indo-Pacific. Pentapus, Chætopterus, and Aphareus are allied genera from the same area.
Maena.—Body oblong, compressed, covered with ciliated scales of moderate size. Mouth very protractile, the intermaxillary pedicles extending backwards to the occiput. Teeth villiform; minute teeth on the vomer. One dorsal, scaleless, with feeble spines. D. 11/11, A. 3/9. Caudal fin forked. Præoperculum without serrature. Branchiostegals six.
Small fishes from the Mediterranean, known to the ancients; valueless as food. Three species.
Smaris.—Body oblong or cylindrical, covered with rather small ciliated scales. Mouth very protractile, the intermaxillary pedicles extending backwards to the occiput. Teeth villiform. Palate toothless. One dorsal, scaleless, with eleven or more very feeble spines; anal with three. Caudal fin forked. Præoperculum without serrature. Branchiostegals six.
Small fishes from the Mediterranean. Six species.
Cæsio.—Body oblong, covered with ciliated scales of moderate size. Cleft of the mouth more or less oblique, with the jaws equal in length anteriorly, or with the lower somewhat projecting. Teeth villiform; palate generally toothless. One dorsal, with from nine to thirteen very feeble spines, with the anterior part highest, and the posterior covered with minute scales. Caudal fin deeply forked. Præoperculum without, or with minute, serrature.
Small fishes from the Indo-Pacific. Twelve species.