31. CYPRINID^E CARASSIUS. 253 



111. PtAGOPTERUS Cope. 

 (Cope, Proc. Amer. Phil. Soc. Pliila. 1874, 301: type Plagoptcrus argent'wsimus Cope.) 



Body slender. Mouth terminal, a barbel at the extremity of the max- 

 illary. Teeth 2, 5-4, 2, hooked, without grinding surface. Body en- 

 tirely scaleless. Fins as in Meda and Lcpidomeda. Size small. (-A^' ? 

 wound; -/>ov, flu; in allusion to the armature of the dorsal flu.) 



426. P. argcntissimus Cope. 



Body slender. 'Head rather broad, the muzzle slightly depressed, over- 

 hanging the rather small, horizontal mouth. Lips thin, the maxillary 

 reaching front of eye. Eye moderate, 4 in head. Dorsal tin entirely 

 behind ventrals, the tirst spine curved, longer than the second ; soft 

 rays of the dorsal thickened and ossified at base ; fifth ray of the ven- 

 tral bound to the abdomen by a membrane for nearly its whole length; 

 pectoral rays osseous at base. Lateral line complete, slightly ddSexed. 

 Color clear silvery ; dorsal region dusky, with minute black dots. Head 

 4; depth 6. D. II, 7; A. 10; teeth 2, 5-4, 2. L. 2 inches. San Luis 

 Valley, Western Colorado. (Cope.) 



(Cope, Proc. Amer. Phil. Soc. Phila. 1874, 130, anil Zool. Wheeler's Expl. W. 100th 

 Mer. v, 640.) 



112. CARASSIUS Nilsson. 



Crucian Carps. 

 (Nilssou, Proclromna: type Cyprlnus carassius L. = Carassius vulgaris Miss.) 



Body oblong, compressed, and elevated. Mouth terminal, without 

 barbels. Teeth 4-4, molar, but compressed. Scales large. Lateral 

 line continuous. Dorsal fin A T ery long, with the third ray a stout spine, 

 which is serrated behind ; anal short, with a similar spine. Ventrals 

 well forward. Large species of the fresh waters of Europe and Asia; 

 often domesticated. (Carassius, a latinization of the vernacular names 

 of the European Crucian Carp, Karasts or Karamche.) 



427. C. aiiratus (L.) Bleeker. (iold-fisli. 



Body stout, covered with large scales. Dorsal and anal fins with the 

 spines strong, coarsely serrated. Coloration olivaceous, usually orange 

 or variegated in domestication. D. II, 18; A. II, 7; Lat. 1. 26; teeth 

 4-4. L. 12 inches. China and Japan ; introduced everywhere as an 

 aquarium fish, and now naturalized in many of our eastern streams. 

 The variations are innumerable. 



(Cjiprinvs auratus Linuse-us, Syst. Nat.j Giinther, vii, 32.) 



