Gereidæ.

Body compressed, elevated or oblong, covered with sparoid scales. Lateral line continuous. Dorsal fin with the spinous and soft portions equally developed, and with a scaly sheath along the base, which is separated by a groove from the other scales. Anal with three (two) spines and with the soft portion similar to the soft dorsal. Ventral fins thoracic, with one spine and five soft rays. Teeth small, palate toothless. The lower pharyngeal bones are firmly united by a suture. Branchiostegals, six; gills, four; pseudobranchiæ present; glandular; air-bladder present. Stomach without caeca! sac; pyloric appendages, rudimentary. Oviparous.

Tropical seas.

Gerres subfasciatus. Port Jackson.

——ovatus. Australian coast.

——filamentosus. North coast.