122 Field Museum of Natural History — Zoology, Vol. X. 



very small mouths; while others, like Cichlasoma dovii, much resemble 

 our black basses. No one has tested the game qualities of the cichlids, 

 but a few that I have caught in Lake Managua on a baited hook cer- 

 tainly put up a good fight. As food fishes they rank well wath ovu- 

 sunfishes, and in the markets of the larger cities on the lakes in Nica- 

 ragua they are offered for sale. 



These fishes are the most important food fishes of the fresh-w^aters 

 of Central America. The Bobo (Joturus) and the Trucha {Agonosto- 

 mus) are perhaps better flavored, but they are usually difficult to capture 

 and more limited in their distribution, occurring usually' only in swift 

 running water. The large characins are too full of bones, and the 

 catfishes (Rhamdta) are too small and too few in number to be of any 

 special commercial importance, although their flesh is of excellent 

 flavor. It would seem that the larger cichlids are deserving of consider- 

 able attention. They are hardy and some of the larger species would, 

 no doubt, do well to domesticate as pond fishes. 



The significance of the thickened lips in some species, as well as the 

 hump developed on the nape of others, is not well understood. The 

 genus Cichlasoma has been broken up into a number of genera, most of 

 which are scarcely of importance sufficient to be retained as subgenera. 



The following is a key to the species of Cichlasoma knowTi to occur 

 in the fresh-waters of Costa Rica: 



a. Mouth large; a few of the anterior teeth enlarged and canine- 

 like; lower jaw the longer. 



b. Anal spines 4 to 6; pectoral fin short, about i^ in head; fold of 

 lower lip free; dorsal XVIII to XIX, 12 or 13. dovii. 



bb. Anal spines 7 to 9; pectoral fin 1}-^ in head; fold of lip free; 



dorsal XVII to XVIII, 9 or 10. friedrichsihali. 



aa. Mouth smaller, no enlarged canine-like teeth in either jaw; jaws 



equal or the lower one the shorter. 



c. Fold of lower lip free. 



d. Free fold of lower lip broad, the lips usually thick, sometimes 

 developed as fleshy median lobes; dorsal XVI, 13 or 14; anal IV 

 to V, 9; caudal fin emarginate; pectoral not reaching anal; sides 

 with dark bars; vertical fins with dark spots. tuba. 



dd. Free fold of lower lip narrow, without fleshy median lobes; dorsal 

 XVI to XVII, II to 13; anal VI to VIII, 7 to 9; caudal fin 

 rounded; vertical fins \vithout dark spots. citrinellum. 



cc. Fold of lower lip interrupted at the symphysis. 



e. Lower lip forming broad lateral folds; dorsal XVI, 11; anal V, 

 8 to 9; caudal fin slightly rounded; sides with 5 to 6 dark cross 



