The species of _Apogon_ are especially numerous, and in regions where they are abundant, as in Japan, they are much valued as food. _Apogon imberbis_, the "king of the mullet," is a common red species of southern Europe. _Apogon maculatus_ is found in the West Indies. _Apogon retrosella_ is the pretty "cardenal" of the west coast of Mexico. _Apogon lineatus_, _semilineatus_ and other species abound in Japan, and many species occur about the islands of Polynesia. _Epigonus telescopium_ is a deep-sea fish of the Mediterranean and _Telescopias_ and _Synagrops_ are genera of the depths of the Pacific. _Paramia_ with strong canines is allied to _Apogon_, and similar in color and habit. Allied to _Apogon_ are several small groups often taken as distinct families. The species of _Ambassis_ (_Ambassidæ_) are little fishes of the rivers and bays of India and Polynesia, resembling small silvery perch or bass. All these have three anal spines instead of two as in _Apogon_. Some of these enter rivers and several are recorded from hot springs. _Scombrops boops_, the mutsu of Japan, is a valued food-fish found in rather deep water. It is remarkable for its very strong teeth, although its flesh is feeble and easily torn. A still larger species in Cuba, _Scombrops oculata_, known as _Escolar chino_, resembles a barracuda. These fishes with fragile bodies and very strong teeth are placed by Gill in a separate family (_Scombropidæ_). _Acropoma japonicum_ is a neat little fish of the Japanese coast, with the vent placed farther forward than in _Apogon_. It is the type of the _Acropomidæ_, a small family of the Pacific. _Enoplosus armatus_ is an Australian fish with high back and fins, with a rather stately appearance, type of the _Enoplosidæ_. In his last catalogue of families of fishes Dr. Gill recognizes _Scombropidæ_ and _Acropomidæ_ as distinct families, but their relationships with _Apogon_ are certainly very close. Many genera allied to _Apogon_ and _Ambassis_ occur in Australian rivers. Several fossils referred to _Apogon_ (_Apogon spinosus_, etc.) occur in the Eocene of Italy and Germany. =The Anomalopidæ.=—The family of _Anomalopidæ_ is a small group of deep-sea fishes of uncertain relationship, but perhaps remotely related to _Apogon_. _Anomalops palpebrata_ is found in Polynesia and has beneath the eye a large luminous organ unlike anything seen elsewhere among fishes. =The Asineopidæ.=—Another family of doubtful relationship is that of _Asineopidæ_, elsewhere noticed. It is composed of extinct fresh-water fishes found in the Green River shales. In _Asineops squamifrons_ the opercles are unarmed, the teeth villiform, and the dorsal fin undivided, composed of eight or nine spines and twelve to fourteen soft rays. The anal spines, as in _Apogon_, are two only, and the scales are cycloid. [Illustration: FIG. 253.—Kuromutsu, _Telescopias gilberti_ Jordan & Snyder. Misaki, Japan. ] [Illustration: