GILBERT AND STARRS — FISHES OF PANAMA BAY 169 



306. Dormitator maculatus {BlocJi). 



Abundant at the mouth of the Rio Grande. Of the two forms recognized by 

 Eigenmann as occurring in the Atlantic, our material agrees almost exactly with the 

 second, which he had from Gurupa and Rio Graude do Sul. 



Our younger specimens, 10 to 15 cm. long, are slender, with the upper profile 

 usually noticeably depressed above the eyes. The head is 3 to 3| in the length, the 

 depth 3f to 35. Highest anal ray If to 1^ in head. Distance from snout to base of 

 first dorsal spine equaling distance from first dorsal spine to base of last anal ray; it 

 is sometimes slightly greater, sometimes slightly less than this distance, but always 

 approximates it. 



The color was light grayish, with numerous oblique dark bars running down- 

 ward and forward from the back. A blue spot surrounded by a black area above the 

 base of the pectoral. Base of pectoral with a blue or black cross-bar. A dark bar 

 downward from eye to angle of mouth, and four jmrallel longitudinal dark streaks 

 across cheeks and opercles. The spinous dorsal was broadly edged with bright red 

 in life. 



Two adults, 255 mm. long, have the depression above the eyes less marked, 



the head larger, 2| in length, the depth much greater, 2^ in length, and the coloration 



plain dark brown on body and fins, save the red margin to the dorsals. Distance from 



snout to base of first dorsal spine equals distance from the latter to base of third anal 



ray. 



It is probable that this widely-distributed brackish-water species is subject to 



local variations in different parts of its range, variations which are not geographically 



progressive and are incajiable of systematic recognition. According to this view, 



the resemblance of the Panama and Rio Grande do Sul specimens is a chance one, 



depending upon independent local variation from the common stock. 



A number of small specimens from the Rio Presidio at Mazatlan, Mex., do 



not agree precisely with either form, though they stand nearer the one here 



described. But the head averages somewhat smaller (3g- to 34 in length), and 



the distance from snout to first dorsal spine is about equal to that between first 



dorsal spine and middle of anal. There seems to be no basis for the division of 



these specimens into three groups, as indicated by Jordan and Evermann (1898, 



p. 2197). 



307. Eleotris pictus Kner £ Steindachner . 



Eleotris (Equidens Jordan & Gilbert, 1881/", p. 461. 



Abundant in muddy overflow ponds and ditches at Miraflores, where a few 

 specimens were obtained. These agree perfectly with Kner and Steindachner's 

 description and figure, also with typical E. cequidens from Mazatlan. Both show the 

 characteristic mottlings of white or bluish white on the under side of the body. The 

 black bars on the sides of the head are not visible in the larger individuals, but are 

 very apparent in young specimens 50 to 125 mm. long. They consist of a short 

 narrow line on each side of occiput, more or less broken up into series of dots, and of 

 two rather broad dark bars diverging backward from eye. The upper bar extends 



