31. CYPRINIDJE MINNILUS. 185 



just equal. Eye large, 3 in head, about equal to snout and to iiiterorbital 

 space. Scales with the exposed surfaces very narrow. Lateral line 

 much decurved ; 16 large scales before dorsal. Dorsal flu inserted en- 

 tirely behind the ventrals, greatly elevated, its longest ray a little longer 

 than head; anal fin also very high and very long, extending almost to 

 base of caudal ; these fins somewhat lower in the females. Color sil- 

 very; the dorsal blotch conspicuous; a distinct black caudal spot, 

 smaller than eye and deeper than long ; sides with a silvery band which 

 passes around the nose, below this a dusky band. Breeding colors un- 

 known. Head 4^ ; depth 4. D. 8; A. 11; scales 6-35-3; teeth 1, 4-4, 1. 

 L. 21 inches. Southern Georgia and Alabama. 



(Alburnus formosus Putnam, Ball. Mus. Comp. Zool. i, 9, 1863 (not Monlana formosa 

 Grd.): Leuciscus hypselop terus Giinther, vii, 255: Photogenis grandipinnis Jordan, Bull. 

 U. S. Nat. Mus. x, 62, 1877.) 







ff. IHINNILUS Rafinesque. 

 Shiners. 



(ff Notro}ns Kafinesque, 1818; Minnilus, Luxilus, and Pfawv/yras Rafinesque ; Hypsilepis 

 Baird; Alburnellus and Alburnops Girard; Lythrurus and Hydrophlox Jordan.) 



(Rafinesque, Iclith. Oh. 1820, 47: type Mlnnilus dinemus Raf.) 



Body oblong or elongate, more or less compressed. Mouth normal, 

 mostly terminal and oblique. No barbels. Teeth 2, 4-4, 2, sharp- 

 edged or with a narrow grinding surface. Scales usually large, often 

 closely imbricated. Lateral line complete, usually decurved. Dorsal 

 fin inserted above, or more usually behind, the ventrals; anal fin short 

 or somewhat elongate. Abdomen rounded. Coloration often brilliant, 

 the males in spring usually with red fins and the head with small tu- 

 bercles. A very large group of small fishes, especially characteristic of 

 the fresh waters of the Eastern United States. Various attempts have 

 been made to divide this group into natural genera, but the gradation 

 from one type to another is very perfect. (English minnow ; French 

 menuise; from Latin minus, small.) 



This group may be subdivided as follows : 



Anal fin short, its rays 7-9 (sometimes 10 iu M. zonistius), 

 * Scales large, 35-50 in the lateral line, 

 t Teeth with the grinding surface more or less developed. 



} Species attaining a large size, with the scales along the flanks nearlytwice as 

 deep as long, and so closely imbricated that the exposed sur- 

 faces are very narrow ; back elevated and convex in the adult ; 

 lower jaw included ; dorsal fin over veutrals (LuxiLUS Raf.). 



cornutus, selene. 



it Species of moderate size, with the scales short and deep, but less closely im- 

 bricated than in the preceding ; body elongate, not much ele- 

 vated ; month large, oblique, the lower jaw projecting; dor- 

 sal tin inserted behind veutrals coccogenis, zonistius. 



