CARPIODES CARP-SUCKERS 



77 



is flavorless and soft. It breeds in spring, but the time of spawning 

 is not indicated by our notes. 



This fish is closely related to C. diffonnis, from which it may be 

 distinguished by the more pointed snout, smaller eye, and more ro- 

 bust, subfusiform body. It and the next species agree in the short- 

 ness of the snout, 3 J to 4^ in head, and in the anterior position of 

 the nostrils, and both are by these marks readily distinguishable, 

 except in the case of very young specimens, from thompsoni and 

 velifer, in which species the snout is notably longer, 3 to 3 1- in 

 head, and the nostrils are situated far back from the end of the 

 snout, the distance from the anterior nostril to the end of the 

 muzzle beino' orreater than the diameter of the eve. 



Fig. 18 



CARPIODES DIFFORMIS Cope 



(blunt-nosed river carp) 



Cope, 1870, P. Amer. Phil. Soc, 480. 



J. & G., 120; M. v., 45 (Ictiobus); J. & E., I, 166; N., 49 (Ichthyobus) ; J., 65 (dif- 

 formis and (?) cutisanserinus) ; F., 81 (Ictiobus cyprinus, partj; L., 12. 



Body short, compressed, the back much arched, ventral surface 

 broad and nearly straight; depth 2.4 to 2.7 in length. Size small, sel- 

 dom over 12 inches in length. Color silvery, obscured above by smoky 

 olive, much as in the preceding species. Head small, short and deep, 

 its length 3.9 to 4.3, depth 4.5 to 4.9, width 5.7 to 6.4 in length of body, 

 snout short, very blunt, the muzzle squarish, distance from eye to tip 

 3.9 to 4.5 in head, usually greater than 4; nostrils near tip of snout, 

 distance from anterior nostril to end of snout being J to | diameter of 



