702 EIGENMANN— SIXTEEN NEW PYGIDIID^. 



main row of the interopercle, the middle ones very strong, directed 

 backward, about five spines in supplementary rows ; five spines in 

 the main row of the opercle, about ten in supplementary rows ; dis- 

 tance between origin of ventrals and base of middle caudal rays 

 two in its distance form the snout; origin of anal behind the origin 

 of the dorsal, the last dorsal ray over the middle of the anal, dis- 

 tance between anal and base of middle caudal rays five and five 

 tenths in the length; distance between origin of dorsal and base 

 of middle caudal rays two and eight tenths in its distance from the 

 snout ; caudal truncate, with numerous accessory rays. Translucent, 

 the eyes black. 



Branchioica^ gen. nov. 

 Type Branchioica Bcrtoni spec. nov. 



It is quite possible that this genus will, on direct comparison of 

 specimens, prove a synonym of Paravandcllia. It has the same 

 general characters and comes from the lower Paraguay, while 

 Paravandcllia comes from the upper. The present species was 

 taken from a fish, while Paravandcllia seems to be free swimming. 

 It is quite possible that teeth will be found in Paravandellia at the 

 end of the maxillary (premaxillary ?) and on the mandibles when 

 they are examined minutely; Paravandcllia is said to have the 

 caudal forked, while Branchiogaeum has it subtruncate. 



No nasal or mental barbels, two barbels at angle of the mouth 

 of which the lower is minute ; first pectoral ray not spinous, not pro- 

 longed in a filament ; gill-openings small, the membrane perfectly 

 confluent with the isthmus ; mouth inferior ; two series of teeth in 

 the front of the upper jaw, a single series of much smaller teeth 

 laterad of these ; maxillary with claw-like teeth at its end, just in 

 front of the barbel and entirely concealed ; two short series of 

 teeth on the ends of the mandibles, opposite the lateral series of 

 teeth of the upper jaw; opercular and interopercular patches of 

 spines separate from each other ; caudal subtruncate. 



s/3pd7x'<"', ''■6 = gill, oTkos, 6 =:z a place to live in. 



