FAMILY II. LEPIDOSTEID^E. 7 



Lepidosteus tropicus Gtinther, Fishes, Cent. Amer., 490, 1866; 



Huamuchal. 

 Lepidosteus viridis Gxinther, Cat., vm, 329, 1870; Huamuchal; 



Mexico. 



Lepisosteus tristcechus Jordan & Evermann, Bull. 47, U. S. Nat. 

 Mus., 1896,111: Jordan & Snyder, Bull. U. S. Fish Comm., 

 1900, 117; Tampico. 



Rio Panuco north to the mouth of the Missouri River, south and 

 east to Cuba. (Tampico.) 



Head 3/^; D. 8; A. 8; scales about 60. Body elongate, cylin- 

 drical; jaws beak-like; snout usually shorter than rest of head, its 

 least width 3^ times its length; 18 to 20 scales in oblique series 

 from ventrals to middle of dorsal fin; ventral fin with 6 rays. 



Color greenish, pale below; the adult usually not spotted. Length 

 10 to 12 feet. 



I saw quite a number of this species in the Tampico markets 

 where it was regarded as a very good food fish. This fish is reported 

 to be quite abundant in the large river channels and the lagoons 

 about Tampico. It is one of our largest fresh-water fishes. 



Lepidosteus tropicus (Gill). TROPICAL GARPIKE. 



Atractosteus tropicus Gill, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1863, 172; streams 

 near Panama. 



Lepisosteus tropicus Jordan & Evermann, Bull. 47, U. S. Nat. Mus., 1896, 

 in: Evermann & Goldsborough, Bull. U. S. Fish Comm., 1902, 139; 

 Montecristo and Teapa, Tabasco. 



Central America and southern Mexico, south of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec. 



Head 3^; depth 9; D. 5; A. 7; scales 53. Body cylindrical, rather short and 

 stout; snout short and broad, its length less then half that of head; upper jaw 

 the longer; teeth sharp, those of upper jaw in two lateral rows; enlarged teeth of 

 lower jaw in one row; eye small; origin of dorsal fin slightly behind that of anal; 

 pectoral rays 12 ; ventral rays 6. 



Color leaden silvery above, white on belly; a few spots on posterior part of 

 body; rays of dorsal, caudal, and anal dusky; the membranes pale; pectorals and 

 ventrals pale. Length 2 feet, possibly much larger. 



This species has not been recorded farther north than Montecristo, on the 

 Rio Usumacinta, and Teapa on the Rio Teapa, both places being in the State of 

 Tabasco. Its southernmost range is the Isthmus of Panama. It is very closely 

 related to the preceding species. 



