1885.] NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 53 



Analysis of Species of Thalassophryne. 

 Common Characters. — Dorsal spines two ; opercle very small, 

 its posterior part developed as a single strong spine ; subopercle 

 feebly developed, narrowed and not ending in a spine; no scales 

 on body. Spines hollow and connected with venom glands. 

 Lateral line on sides of body single ; no canine teeth. America. 



a. Dorsal and anal fins joined to the caudal ; teeth on premaxil- 

 laries smaller than on lower jaw ; eye very small ; lower jaw 

 the longer. D. 11-20 ; A. 18 or 19. 

 b. Anterior teeth on jaws in two rows. 



c. Pectoral fins short, their tips reaching just to front of anal ; 



head as wide as long ; opercular spine about \ length of 



head ; caudal ^ length of head. Color chocolate-brown; 



no distinct dark bands on head ; body, except belly and 



under side of head covered with numerous small, dark, 



round spots ; anal clear brownish gray, edged with 



dark brown ; no dark bands on sides of body. (Stein- 



dachner.) Punctata. 1. 



cc. Pectoral fins longer, reaching past third or fourth anal 



ray ; head 1^ times as long as wide ; opercular spine 



about ^ length of head ; caudal § of length of head ; 



mouth very oblique. Color brownish, marbled with 



darker ; two distinct bands on head ; dorsal and anal 



with brown spots arranged in distinct rows ; six dark 



bands on sides of body, the first at spinous dorsal, the 



others along the base of soft dorsal. {Steindachner.) 



Amazonica. 2. 

 bb. Anterior teeth on lower jaw forming a band ; mouth mod- 

 erately oblique ; head less than 3 in length of body ; 

 interorbital width 5^ to 5^ in length of head. Color more 

 or less clear reddish brown ; belly brownish yellow ; base 

 of fins reddish brown or whitish, the upper part of the fins 

 deep dark brown, the two colors separated by a distinctly 

 marked whitish streak. (Steindachner.) Nattereri. 3. 

 aa. Dorsal and anal fins not joined to the caudal. 



d. Dorsal and anal fins rather short (D. 11-19; A, 18); 

 pectoral fins short, their tips reaching to origin of 

 anal. Color brown, marbled with darker ; pectoral 

 fins and sides of body with some round black spots ; 

 chin and ventrals brownish ; belly white. (G'unther.) 



Maculosa. 4. 



