480 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OF [1899. 



DESCRIPTION OF AMEITJRUS LACUSTEIS OKEECHOBEENSIS. 

 BY HENRY W. FOWLER. 



Ameiurus lacustris okeechobeensis (Heilpriu). 



Ictalurus okeechobeensis Heilprin, Trans. Wagner Inst. Sci. Phila., I, 

 1887, pi. 18 ; Kissimee River, Lake Okeechobee, Florida. 



Ameiurus okeechobeensm Jordan and Evermaim, Bull. U. S. Nat. 

 Mus., No. 47, I, 1896, p. 138. 



This fish, which was first described by Prof. Heilprin, proves 

 to be a subspecies of Ameiurus lacustris (Walh.), and as his de- 

 scription is insufficient I redescribe it. 



Form of the body rather elongate. Head 3i in the body. D. 

 I, 6. Eye 9i in head and situated anterior to the middle of the 

 head and with the lower margin of the orbit on a line with the 

 middle of the depth of the head. Head, convex posteriorly, its 

 width between the opercles ly^^ in its length and 4^ in the body. 

 The supraoccipital process reaches the second interspinal and the 

 ridge of bone is thus complete. Interorbital space more or less 

 shallowly convex, the eye being contained in it 5f times. Mouth 

 rather large, lips fleshy. Barbels thin, especially the nasal pair 

 and the outstretched maxillary pair reach f the length of the P. 

 spine. Inner margin of the P. spine serrate. The D. spine is 

 smooth and nearly 2^ in the length of the head. Humeral process 

 covered with thin skin, and only is it slightly rugose on the ante- 

 rior portion, and it projects backward and slightly upward for 

 more than one-half the length of the P. spine. The V. reach 

 the A. The A. fin with 24 rays, and its base 4^ in the length of 

 the body. The insertion of the D. is at a point a little behind 

 the tip of the outstretched P., and nearer the adipose fin than the 

 tip of the snout. Lateral line slightly arched anteriorly. Caudal 

 forked, the upper lobe longer than the lower, and with the rudi- 

 mentary rays conspicuous. Color above blackish brown, the D., 

 the A., and caudal fins of the same color. Upper surface of the 

 P. and V. blackish brown. Lower surface of the body whitish. 

 Barbels blackish brown, except the median mental pair, which are 



