CRZETODON'TIDE, a family of acanthopterous fishes, nearly corresponding to the genus chrtodon (Gr. hair-tooth) of Linnaeus; and also named SQUAN1IPENNES (Lat. scaly-finned), because of the most distinctive character of the family, the incrustation of the soft portions of the dorsal and anal fins, and often of the spinous parts also, with scales, the fins appearing to taper gradually out of the thickness of the body, which is in general remarkably compressed, so that, without dissection, it is impossible to tell where they begin. The scales are strongly ctenoid (q.v.). The typical genus chatodon, and those most nearly allied to it, have hair-like teeth, so that their jaws resemble brushes; some fishes of the family, however, have trenchant teeth on the jaws, and some, as bra ma (q.v.), have card-like teeth both on the jaws and palate. Most of the C. are tropical; only one species, Bra ma raii, is ever found in the British seas. They generally frequent rocky shores. Their colors are often extremely gay, and usually
disposed rather in stripes or bands than in spots. " The eye of man receives the greater pleasure from their contemplation, in that, being of moderate or small size, and haunt ing habitually the coral basins of the transparent tropical seas, they disport themselves in the beams of a vertical sun, as if desirous of exhibiting their splendid liveries to the greatest advantage in the blaze of day." Many singularities of form occur in this family, as the long slender snout of the chelmons, the whip-thong-like prolongation of some of the rays of the dorsal fins in heniochus and zanclus, the wing-like dorsal and anal fins of platax, the sharp recurred horns of the buffalo-fish (taarichthys), etc. To this family belong the archer-fishes (q.v.), whose singular habits have been already noticed. The flesh of most of the C. is of very fine flavor.