FAMILY XXI. CICHLID^;. 219 



orbit; maxillary 3^3 in head; mandible 2^3 to 3; jaws equal; lips 

 moderately thick, the lower with a frenum in large specimens (in small 

 specimens, 5 inches or less s , the frenum not complete) ; preorbital 4 

 in head; postorbital 2|; diameter of eye 4^; dorsal spines rather 

 high, the eighth spine 2^ in head, the last one i ; anal and dorsal rays 

 not much produced, their tips reaching slightly beyond base of caudal 

 fin; pectoral fin i^ in head; ventral 1%, its rays slightly produced, 

 the tips of longest reaching to first anal spine ; least depth of caudal 

 peduncle 2% in head, its length i% in its depth; caudal fin rounded. 



Color olivaceous with 7 dark vertical bars; an indistinct longitu- 

 dinal band from opercle to base of caudal, ending in a dark spot at base 

 of caudal fin; fins dusky. Length about 14 inches. 



This species resembles C. melanurus. It is deeper and does not 

 have a prominent lateral band. One of the most abundant species 

 of Cichlids in southern Mexico. 



208. Cichlasoma melanurum (Giinther). 



Heros melanurus Giinther, Cat., iv, 1862, 228; Lago de Peten, 

 Guatemala: Giinther, Fish. Cent. Amer. 450, pi. 72, fig. 3, 

 1869; Lago de Peten, Guatemala. 

 Heros fenestratus B. A. Bean, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus. 1892, 541; 



Santa Maria, Vera Cruz. 



Cichlasoma melanurum Jordan & Evermann, Bull. 47, U.S. Nat. 

 Mus. 1896, 1523: Evermann & Goldsborough, Bull. U. S. Fish 

 Comm., 1902, 157; Montecristo, Teapa: Meek, Field Col. Mus. 

 Pub. 65, 1902, 120; Cuicatlan. 



Large rivers of tropical America south of the city of Vera Cruz and 

 Tehuantepec. (Vera Cruz; Otopa; Motzorongo; Obispo; Perez; San 

 Geronimo.) 



Head 3^; depth 2^" to 2%; D. xvm, 10; A. vi or vn; scales 6-34- 

 ii. Body elongate, moderately compressed, profile rather steep; 

 head short; mouth moderate, the maxillary not reaching to vertical 

 from anterior margin of the pupil, 3^ in head; lips thick, a broad 

 frenum in adult specimens, a shallow groove in young; upper jaw 

 slightly the longer ; preorbital 3 % in head ; postorbital 2 l /$ ; snout 2 % ; 

 mandible 2-f to 3 ; diameter of eye 4^ ; seventh or eighth dorsal spine 

 3^ in head, last spine 2^ ; dorsal and anal rays not much produced, 

 their tips scarcely reaching past base of caudal; pectoral fin i^" in 

 head; tips of ventrals not reaching anal, i% in head; caudal fin 

 rounded; least depth of caudal peduncle 2% in head, its length i> in 

 its least depth. 



Color dark olivaceous; sides with about 7 black vertical bars, each 

 narrower than the interspaces, sometimes the bands are not all dis- 



