Fishes of the Western North Atlantic 237 



Coll., 8 {z), 1943: 143, fig- 64 (descr., range, synon.); Schultz, Proc. U. S. nat. Mus., gq, 1949: 

 54 (synon., refs.). 



Negative References: 



Lycengraulis grossiJens Berg, An. Mus. nac, Buenos Aires, 4, 1895: 21 (fairly abund. in markets, Buenos Aires 



and Montevideo; L.olidus); Devincenzi, An. Mus. nac, Montevideo, 2(5), 1924: 189 {L. olidus); 



Thompson, Proc. U. S. nat. Mus., ^O, 1916: 405 (numerous from Montevideo, two from Buenos Aires; 



in part L. olidus). 



Lycengraulis limnichthys Schultz 1949 

 Figure SS 



Study Material. Type material of many specimens, 24-150 mm TL, 20-1 16 mm 

 SL, from Lake Maracaibo, Venezuela, and the lower parts of its tributary streams. 



Distinctive Characters. This species is related to L. grossidens and L. olidus., the 

 latter being extrallmital from southern Brazil to Argentina. L. limnichthys differs from 

 grossidens in having a more slender and apparently less strongly compressed body, 

 specimens of nearly equal size compared. In limnichthys the maxillary is a little shorter, 

 scarcely reaching beyond the joint of the mandible and not to the margin of the opercle, 

 whereas in adults oi grossidens it is longer, reaching well beyond the joint of the mandible 

 and often to the margin of the opercle. In limnichthys the pelvic fins are inserted nearer 

 to the base of the upper pectoral ray than to the anal origin, whereas in grossidens they 

 are equidistant between these two points, or more usually nearer to the anal origin. And 

 limnichthys differs from both grossidens and olidus in having fewer vertebrae. 



Description. Propertional dimensions in per cent of standard length, and counts, 

 based on at least 1 1 study specimens. 



Body: depth 21—23, '" specimens 90 mm Pectoral fin: length 16—19. 



TL and upward. 



Head: length 23-25. Scales: ca. 35-45. 



6'«oa/: length 3.0-4.15. Gill rakers: 15—18 + 20—23 (rarely 24 



£71?: diameter 5.4—6.5. or 25). 



Pw/or^/Va/; distance 12. 5-15. Fin rays: dorsal 13—16; anal 23-25 



Maxillary: length 1 7.2-1 9.2. (rarely 26 or 27); pectoral 14 or 15 



Mandible: \&ngx\v 16. 3-18. 5. (rarely 13). 



Anal fin: length of base 21-23.5. Vertebrae: 41 or 42 (11 specimens). 



Body moderately compressed, its depth 4.35—4.75 in SL in specimens 73—1 16 mm 

 SL. Head 4.0—4.35, its depth slightly exceeding its postorbital length. Snout blunt, 

 extending about a third of its length beyond tip of mandible, 6.1—7.0 in head. Eye 

 3.6—4.5. Postorbital length 6.65-8.0 in SL, 1.6— 1.8 in head. Maxillary scarcely 

 pointed, extending somewhat beyond joint of mandible in the large examples but not 

 to margin of opercle, 1.25— 1.35 in head. Mandible 1.27— 1.4. Cheek moderately short 



