1915.] NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 231 



shorter than longest ray. Pectoral with strong, curved spine, reaches 

 ventral. Latter inserted little nearer snout tip than caudal base, 

 fin extending f to anal. Vent well anterior, or close behind ventral 

 bases. 



Color in alcohol largely dark brownish, trunk more or less mottled 

 with paler areas or blotches, and smaller dusky spots of irregular 

 and often obscure definition on scutes. On head, breast and belly 

 many close-set, small blackish spots, though becoming larger and 

 fewer on belly. All fins with obscure dusky spots, though on caudal 

 mostly united to form median broad blackish transverse band, in 

 extent nearly half length of fin. Hind edge of caudal also dusky. 

 Iris slaty. Barbels dusky. 



Length 102 mm. 



Type, No. 37,895, A. N. S. P. La Pedrita, Cano Uracoa, Venezuela. 

 February 16, 1911. F. E. Bond and Stewardson Brown. 



Only the above example. It is related to Callichthys pedoralis 

 Boulenger,!*. which has been identified by Eigenmann with C i?iel- 

 amjiterus Cope, a species certainly distinct. C. pedoralis is evidently 

 a Hoplosternum, however, and differs from the present species in its 

 depth 3| to 3|, large eye (though this may be due to age), inner 

 barbels half total length, and lateral plates 23 above and 22 below, 

 while in other respects it agrees. No description of the caudal 

 coloration or other details have been given for C. pedoralis, so that 

 its identity is uncertain. H. schreineri Ribeiro I have been unable 

 to consult. 



(Named for the Oronoco River, in the delta country of which the 

 t\^e was secured.) 



CATAPHRACTOPS subgen. nov. 

 Type Callichthys melampterus Cope. 



Lower jaw without barbels, though two at each rictus. Coracoid 

 but slightly exposed below, and ventral surface largely naked. 

 Dorsal spine low and flat. Pectoral spine finely serrated on inner 

 edge, outer bristly. Supraoccipital plate truncate behind, so that 

 narrow median naked predorsal strip extends before dorsal plate. 



Differs from subgenus Hoplosternum in the naked jredorsal region 

 and truncate hind edge of supraoccipital process, together with the 

 slightly exposed coracoid processes. 



{Cataphradus, an old generic name for the plated nematognaths; 

 itxp, appearance.) 



" Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1895, p. 525. Monte Sociedad, Paraguayan Chaco. 



