Sciæna (including Corvina).—The upper jaw overlapping the lower, or both jaws equal in front. Interorbital space moderately broad and slightly convex. Cleft of the mouth horizontal or slightly oblique. The outer series of teeth is generally composed of teeth larger than the rest, but there are no canines. Eye of moderate size, barbel none.
Fig. 190.—Sciæna richardsonii.
Some fifty species are known, but their distinctive characters have been but imperfectly pointed out. They are found in all the seas and rivers in which Sciænoids generally occur, and many are entirely confined to fresh water, for instance the species figured, Sciæna richardsonii, from Lake Huron; Sc. amazonica; Sc. obliqua, ocellata, oscula, etc., from fresh waters of the United States. Sciæna diacanthus and Sc. coitor belong to the most common fishes of the coasts of the East Indies, ascending the great rivers for a long distance from the sea. One of the European species, Sciæna aquila, has an extremely wide range; it not rarely reaches the British coasts, where it is known as “Meagre,” and has been found at the Cape of Good Hope and on the coast of southern Australia. Like some of the other species it attains to a length of six feet, but the majority of the species of this genus remain within smaller dimensions. A part of the species have the second anal ray very strong, and have been placed into a distinct genus, Corvina,—thus, among others, Sc. nigra from the Mediterranean, and Sc. richardsonii.
Pachyurus is closely allied to Sciæna, but has the vertical fins densely covered with small scales.
Otolithus.—Snout obtuse or somewhat pointed, with the lower jaw longer. The first dorsal with nine or ten feeble spines. Canine teeth more or less distinct. Præoperculum denticulated. Scales of moderate or small size.
About twenty species are known from the tropical and sub-tropical parts of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. The air-bladder is figured on p. 144.
Ancylodon differs from Otolithus in having very long arrow-shaped or lanceolate canine teeth. Coasts of tropical America.
Collichthys.—Body elongate; head very broad, with the upper surface very convex; cleft of the mouth wide and oblique; no large canines. Eye small. No barbel. Scales small, or of moderate size. The second dorsal very long, caudal pointed.
Three species from the East Indian and Chinese coasts. The great development of the muciferous system on the head and the small eye leads one to suppose that these fishes live in muddy water near the mouths of large rivers. The air-bladder has been described on p. 144.