with growth with a concomitant increase in the number of
rudiments (tubercles or short rakers with the diameter of
their bases greater than their height). When rudimentary
rakers are included in the gill-raker counts, and large specimens are being examined, it is very important that all of the
tubercles are counted.
Lateral-line scutes: size and configuration of. the scales
and scutes on the lateral line is variable and there may be a
gradual transition from one type to another. Scutes are here
defined as modified scales that either have their posterior
margin with a small to moderate projecting spine, or the
scale has a raised horizontal ridge and ends in an apex not
exceeding a 90° angle. All scutes should be counted, including those extending onto the caudal-fin base. In some
species it may also be necessary to remove small body scales
that tend to overgrow or otherwise obscure the lateral line.
Measurements: the curved part of the lateral line is measured as a chord of the arch extending from the upper edge
of the opercle to its junction with the straight part. The
straight part of the lateral line is measured from its junction
with the curved part to its termination on the caudal-fin
base (end of the last scute).
KEY TO GENERA
la V absent or if present (young), positioned
distinctly anterior to vertical through P base; scales
almost completely covering D and A .................. Parastromateus
Ib V always present and never in front of vertical at P
base; scales on D and A, if present, restricted to
about basal Yz of fins ......................................................... 2
2a Posterior straight part of LL with scutes (weak or
rudimentary in Chloroscombus and Selene); in adults,
P long and falcate, in most genera longer than head
(about equal to head length in Selar and Trachurus
and shorter than head in some Decapterus spp. ) . . . . . . . .. . . . .. .. . .. .. 3
2b No scutes in LL (only pored scales, not enlarged);
P usually shorter than head (ca. 0.9-2.0 in HL) ...................... 17
3a Second D and A with 1 or more distinctly separate finlets ......... 4
3b Second D and A without finlets .......................................... 5
4a A single detached terminal finlet in D and A;
shoulder girdle (c1eithrum) margin with 2 papillae,
the lower one larger; maximum scute height
smaller than eye diameter ..................................... Decapterus
4b Posterior D and A rays consisting of detached
finlets; shoulder girdle margin smooth; maximum
scute height larger than eye diameter ....................... Megalaspis
Sa Pored scales in curved LL scute-like, expanded
dorso-ventrally (in large fish may be obscured by
overgrowth of smaller scales); dorsal accessory
LL normally extends posteriorly at least to below
3rd D spine, usually farther posteriorly ...................... Trachurus
5b No enlarged scute-like scales in curved LL; dorsal
accessory LL ending before D origin .................................... 6
6a Shoulder girdle (c1eithrum) margin with a furrow
ventrally, a large papilla immediately above it and
a smaller papilla near upper edge ................................... Selar
6b Shoulder girdle margin smooth ........................................... 7
210: CARANGIDAE (KINGFISHES)
7a In adults, spinous D wholly buried or spines short
and disconnected, height of longest spine subequal
to pupil diameter; body superficially naked, scales
(where present) minute or embedded; opercle scaleless ............ 8
7b In adults, height of erect D usually longer than eye
and at least anterior spines united by inter-radial
membrane; small scales present over most of body;
opercle at least partially scaled ........................................... 9
8a In smaller fish, anterior soft-rays of D and A
filamentous; V longer than upper jaw ........................... Alectis
8b Anterior soft-rays of D and A never filamentous;
V short (except in very young), about ~ length of
upper jaw ................................................................ Selene
9a Tongue, roof and floor of mouth white, the rest of
mouth dark ............................................................ Uraspis
9b Pigmentation oftongue and mouth lining not as above ............ 10
lOa Upper and lower jaws without teeth, except lower
jaw with a few feeble teeth in young .................... Gnathanodon
lOb Jaw teeth always present, varying from 1 or 2 rows
of teeth to a band of minute teeth (teeth difficult to
detect in some species of Carangoides) ................................ 11
lla Fleshy adipose eyelid completely covering eye
except for vertical slit centered on pupil; terminal
ray of D and A finlet-like, a little more separated
from other rays but not detached, and about twice
length of penultimate ray ............................................. Atule
11b Fleshy adipose eyelid, if present, not developed as
above; terminal ray of D and A not finlet-like ....................... 12
12a GR extremely long, projecting into mouth alongside
tongue; lower-limb GR 51-61; lower jaw becoming
prominent in large adults, with the "chin" projecting
beyond upper jaw ........................................................ Ulua
12b GR of normal length and shape; lower-limb GR
14-33; shape of lower jaw not as above ................................ 13
13a Ventral profile of body strongly convex; LL
scutes 6-12, weak and rudimentary; body
notablY'compressed ..... ...... ......... ................. Chloroscombrus
13b Ventral profile not notably more convex than
dorsal profile; LL scutes 11-45, moderate to strong;
body slightly to moderately compressed ............................... 14
14a Both jaws with a single row of numerous comb-like
teeth; adipose eyelid well developed on rear Yz of eye ....... Alepes
14b Dentition not as above; adipose eyelid, if present,
variously developed ........................................................ 15
15a Upper jaw with an outer series of moderate to
strong canines and an inner band of fine teeth;
lower jaw with a single row ofteeth ............................. Caranx
15b Dentition not as above ..................................................... 16
16a Both jaws with a band of teeth, at least anteriorly;
breast naked ventrally (most species) to completely
scaled ............................................................. Carangoides
16b Both jaws with single series of short, conical teeth
(upper jaw sometimes with an inner row of conical
teeth anteriorly); breast completely scaled ............ Pseudocaranx
17 a A base about 45 to 70% of D base length; C
peduncle grooves present, dorsally and ventrally ................... 18
17b Base of A as long as, or only slightly shorter than,
base of soft D; no C peduncle grooves ................................. 21
639
rudiments (tubercles or short rakers with the diameter of
their bases greater than their height). When rudimentary
rakers are included in the gill-raker counts, and large specimens are being examined, it is very important that all of the
tubercles are counted.
Lateral-line scutes: size and configuration of. the scales
and scutes on the lateral line is variable and there may be a
gradual transition from one type to another. Scutes are here
defined as modified scales that either have their posterior
margin with a small to moderate projecting spine, or the
scale has a raised horizontal ridge and ends in an apex not
exceeding a 90° angle. All scutes should be counted, including those extending onto the caudal-fin base. In some
species it may also be necessary to remove small body scales
that tend to overgrow or otherwise obscure the lateral line.
Measurements: the curved part of the lateral line is measured as a chord of the arch extending from the upper edge
of the opercle to its junction with the straight part. The
straight part of the lateral line is measured from its junction
with the curved part to its termination on the caudal-fin
base (end of the last scute).
KEY TO GENERA
la V absent or if present (young), positioned
distinctly anterior to vertical through P base; scales
almost completely covering D and A .................. Parastromateus
Ib V always present and never in front of vertical at P
base; scales on D and A, if present, restricted to
about basal Yz of fins ......................................................... 2
2a Posterior straight part of LL with scutes (weak or
rudimentary in Chloroscombus and Selene); in adults,
P long and falcate, in most genera longer than head
(about equal to head length in Selar and Trachurus
and shorter than head in some Decapterus spp. ) . . . . . . . .. . . . .. .. . .. .. 3
2b No scutes in LL (only pored scales, not enlarged);
P usually shorter than head (ca. 0.9-2.0 in HL) ...................... 17
3a Second D and A with 1 or more distinctly separate finlets ......... 4
3b Second D and A without finlets .......................................... 5
4a A single detached terminal finlet in D and A;
shoulder girdle (c1eithrum) margin with 2 papillae,
the lower one larger; maximum scute height
smaller than eye diameter ..................................... Decapterus
4b Posterior D and A rays consisting of detached
finlets; shoulder girdle margin smooth; maximum
scute height larger than eye diameter ....................... Megalaspis
Sa Pored scales in curved LL scute-like, expanded
dorso-ventrally (in large fish may be obscured by
overgrowth of smaller scales); dorsal accessory
LL normally extends posteriorly at least to below
3rd D spine, usually farther posteriorly ...................... Trachurus
5b No enlarged scute-like scales in curved LL; dorsal
accessory LL ending before D origin .................................... 6
6a Shoulder girdle (c1eithrum) margin with a furrow
ventrally, a large papilla immediately above it and
a smaller papilla near upper edge ................................... Selar
6b Shoulder girdle margin smooth ........................................... 7
210: CARANGIDAE (KINGFISHES)
7a In adults, spinous D wholly buried or spines short
and disconnected, height of longest spine subequal
to pupil diameter; body superficially naked, scales
(where present) minute or embedded; opercle scaleless ............ 8
7b In adults, height of erect D usually longer than eye
and at least anterior spines united by inter-radial
membrane; small scales present over most of body;
opercle at least partially scaled ........................................... 9
8a In smaller fish, anterior soft-rays of D and A
filamentous; V longer than upper jaw ........................... Alectis
8b Anterior soft-rays of D and A never filamentous;
V short (except in very young), about ~ length of
upper jaw ................................................................ Selene
9a Tongue, roof and floor of mouth white, the rest of
mouth dark ............................................................ Uraspis
9b Pigmentation oftongue and mouth lining not as above ............ 10
lOa Upper and lower jaws without teeth, except lower
jaw with a few feeble teeth in young .................... Gnathanodon
lOb Jaw teeth always present, varying from 1 or 2 rows
of teeth to a band of minute teeth (teeth difficult to
detect in some species of Carangoides) ................................ 11
lla Fleshy adipose eyelid completely covering eye
except for vertical slit centered on pupil; terminal
ray of D and A finlet-like, a little more separated
from other rays but not detached, and about twice
length of penultimate ray ............................................. Atule
11b Fleshy adipose eyelid, if present, not developed as
above; terminal ray of D and A not finlet-like ....................... 12
12a GR extremely long, projecting into mouth alongside
tongue; lower-limb GR 51-61; lower jaw becoming
prominent in large adults, with the "chin" projecting
beyond upper jaw ........................................................ Ulua
12b GR of normal length and shape; lower-limb GR
14-33; shape of lower jaw not as above ................................ 13
13a Ventral profile of body strongly convex; LL
scutes 6-12, weak and rudimentary; body
notablY'compressed ..... ...... ......... ................. Chloroscombrus
13b Ventral profile not notably more convex than
dorsal profile; LL scutes 11-45, moderate to strong;
body slightly to moderately compressed ............................... 14
14a Both jaws with a single row of numerous comb-like
teeth; adipose eyelid well developed on rear Yz of eye ....... Alepes
14b Dentition not as above; adipose eyelid, if present,
variously developed ........................................................ 15
15a Upper jaw with an outer series of moderate to
strong canines and an inner band of fine teeth;
lower jaw with a single row ofteeth ............................. Caranx
15b Dentition not as above ..................................................... 16
16a Both jaws with a band of teeth, at least anteriorly;
breast naked ventrally (most species) to completely
scaled ............................................................. Carangoides
16b Both jaws with single series of short, conical teeth
(upper jaw sometimes with an inner row of conical
teeth anteriorly); breast completely scaled ............ Pseudocaranx
17 a A base about 45 to 70% of D base length; C
peduncle grooves present, dorsally and ventrally ................... 18
17b Base of A as long as, or only slightly shorter than,
base of soft D; no C peduncle grooves ................................. 21
639