Poly cent ridæ (polis ent ride)

pl. [NL., + -idæ.] A family of acanthop terygian fishes, typified by the genus Polycen trus. They have a symmetrical compre ed body without lateral line, compre ed head with very projectile jaws, a long dorsal and anal fin with many spines, and perfect ventrals. The family contains a few South American fresh-water fishes, somewhat related to the centrarchoids of North America. In Günther's cla ification it was referred to the Acanthopterygii perciformes. [NL. (Müller Polycentrus (pol-i-sen'trus), n. and Troschel, 1848), Poly cent ridæ: so called from the many spines, especially of the anal fin. polycephalist (pol-i-sef'a-list), n. [ heads or superiors. Bp. Gauden, Tears of the Church, 541. ( Davies.)