178 The Nematognathi, or Catfishes 



a few cases the adipose fin develops an anterior spine and 

 occasionally supporting rays. 



All the Nematognathi are carnivorous bottom feeders, de- 

 vouring any prey they can swallow. Only a few enter the 

 sea, and they occur in the greatest abundance in the Amazon 

 region. Upward of 1200 species, arranged in 150 genera, are 

 recorded. They vary greatly in size, from two inches to six feet 

 in length. All are regarded as food-fishes, but the species in 

 the sea have very tough and flavorless flesh. Some of the 

 others are extremely delicate, with finely flavored flesh and a 

 grateful absence of small bones. 



Families of Nematognathi. According to Dr. Eigenmann's 

 scheme of classification,* the most primitive family of Nema- 

 tognathi is that of Diplomystidcz, characterized by the pres- 

 ence of a well-developed maxillary, as in other soft-rayed fishes. 

 The single species, Diplomystes pafrillosus, is found in the waters 

 of Chile. 



Similar to the Diplomystida in all other respects is the great 

 central family of Silurida, by far the most numerous and im- 

 portant of all the divisions of Nematognathi. 



The Siluridae. This group has the skin naked or imperfectly 

 mailed, the barbels on the head well developed, the dorsal short, 

 inserted forward, the adipose fin without spine, and the lower 

 pharyngeals separate. All the marine catfishes and most of 

 the fresh-water species belong to this group, and its members, 

 some 700 species, abound in all parts of the world where cat- 

 fishes are known "a bloodthirsty and bullying race of rangers 

 inhabiting the river bottoms with ever a lance at rest and ready 

 to do battle with their nearest neighbor." 



The Sea Catfish. In the tropical seas are numerous species of 

 catfishes belonging to Tachysurus, Arius, Galeichthys, Felich- 

 thys, and other related genera. These are sleek, silvery fishes 

 covered with smooth skin, the head usually with a coat of mail, 

 pierced by a central fontanelle. Some of them reach a con- 

 siderable size, swarming in sandy bays. None are valued as food, 

 being always tough and coarsely flavored. Sea birds, as the 

 pelican, which devour these catfishes are often destroyed by 



* A Revision of the South American Nematognathi, 1890, p. 7 



