202 PROCEEdDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM vol.94 



Remarks. — This new subspecies is very closely related to Eigen- 

 mann's Pseudopimelodus alhomarginatus and P. v. villosus, differing 

 from the former in having the predorsal plate not meeting the supra- 

 occipital process. From P. v. villosus it differs in having longer 

 barbels, as indicated in the key on page 198, and a reduction of the 

 white central blotch on the dorsal fin to not more than the last three 

 interradial membranes instead of four in villosus. The caudal fin in 

 villosus appears to become rounded at a greater length than this new 

 form in the Maracaibo Basin. 



Named butcheri in honor of Walter W. Butcher, geologist, Lago 

 Petroleum Corporation, who aided me in collecting fishes near Rosario, 

 western side of Lago Maracaibo. 



PSEUDOPIMELODUS VILLOSUS VILLOSUS Eigenmann 



Pseudopimelodus villosus Eigenmann, Mem. Carnegie Mus., vol. 5, p. 153, pi. 10, 

 fig. 1, 1912 (Potaro Landing; Kumaka, Demerara; Wismar). 



1 Pseudopimelodus alhomarginatus Eigenmann, ibid., p. 153, pi. 11, fig. 1 (Tukeit 

 and Waratuk, British Guiana). 



tPimelodus {Pseudopimelodus) raninus Peters, Monatsb. Akad. Wiss. Berlin, 

 1877, p. 470 (Apure River, Venezuela). 



Genus PIMELODUS Lacepede 



Pimelodus Lacepede, Histoire naturelle des poissons, vol. 5, 1803 (poly generic). — 

 Cuvier, Regne animal, vol. 2, p. 203, 1817 (restricted to species having only 

 a single band of teeth in upper jaw). (Type, P. maculattis Lacepede = 

 clarias.) (Ref. copied.) 



KEY TO THE SPECIES OF PIMELODUS REPORTED FROM VENEZUELA 



la. Dorsal spine contained 6 to 6}^ times in standard length; teeth along nearly 

 entire front margin of pectoral spine; total length of adipose fin contained 

 0.7 to 0.8 time in dorsal spine and 0.6 in pectoral spine; a large black 

 blotch in dorsal fin; a light streak from dorsal spine to above pelvics, thence 

 to middle of caudal fin rays, another above it; snout broad, depressed. 



Pimelodus omatus Kner 



16. Dorsal spine length contained fewer than 5 times in standard length; no 



ornate spot in dorsal fin. 



2a. Length of adipose fin contained 5 to 6% times in standard length; anal 



rays v, 8 to v, 10, usually v, 9: pectoral with I, 8 to I, 10, usually I, 9 or I, 



10. 



3a. Length of adipose fin contained 6 to 6% times in standard length, 1.3 to 



1.8 in dorsa,! spine, 1.2 to 1.6 in pectoral spine; height of adipose fin 



2.1 to 2.8 in its total length; width of head a little greater than length 



of adipose; greatest depth of body 3.5 to 4 in standard length; dorsal 



spine 3.4 to 4.2 in length of body; sides with black blotches more of 



less separated by about two pale streaks, the one along the lateral line 



always distinct Pimelodus clarias coprophagus, new subspecies 



3f>; Length of adipose fin 5 times in standard length, 0.8 to 1.1 in dorsal 

 spine and equal to length of pectoral spine; height of adipose fin SYz 

 to 3H in its length; width of head 1.2 to 1.4 in length of adipose fin; 

 greatest depth of body 5 to bYz in standard length; dorsal spine 4.1 to 

 4.5 times in length of body; color usually plain grayish above, lighter 

 below Pimelodus clarias clarias (Bloch) 



