THE CATFISHES OF VENEZUEiLA — SCHULTZ 223 



mm., February 21, 1942, from the Rio Palmar near Totuma, about 

 100 km. southwest of Maracaibo. 



The largest specimens are females, their abdomens swollen with eggs. 



Description. — Based on the holotype and paratypes listed above. 

 Detailed measurements of the holotype and two paratypes, expressed 

 in hundredths of the standard length, are recorded below, first for 

 the holotype, then for the two paratypes in parentheses, respectively. 

 Standard length (in mm.) 88 (39.7; 118). 



Length of the head to end of operculum 25.7 (28.5; 23.7); width 

 of head across base of pectorals 19.0 (16.9; 18.6); greatest depth 21.7 

 (16.6; 25.4); snout 10.5 (11.3; 9.58); diameter of eye 4.43 (5.04; 

 3.98); distance from eye to posterior nostril 2.16 (2.77; 2.20); dis- 

 tance between anterior and posterior nostrils 4.54 (5.29; 3.90); width 

 of fleshy interorbital space 6.59 (6.80; 6.02); postorbital length of 

 head 12.4 (13.8; 11.7); total length of adipose fin 19.3 (16.4; 19.9); 

 greatest height of adipose fin 6.14 (5.80; 5.59); least depth of caudal 

 peduncle 13.3 (11.6; 13.7); length of caudal peduncle from rear base 

 of anal to midbase of caudal fin 21.0 (21.2; 22.4); length of first 

 (simple) ray of dorsal fin 22.7 (23.2; 21.1); length of first or upper 

 pectoral ray 17.8 (18.9; 14.7); longest pelvic ray 16.8 (16.9; 15.9); 

 longest anal ray 18.2 (16.4; 15.3); length of longest ray of upper lobe 

 of caudal fin 30.1 (33.2; 26.3); length of longest ray of lower lobe 

 of caudal fin 30.9 (33.2; 27.1) ; length of shortest middle ray of caudal 

 fin 11.4 (11.3; 11.0); distance from tip of snout to dorsal origin 36.5 

 (41.6; 36.2); snout to anal origin 70.9 (70.5; 69.5); snout to adipose 

 origin 70.8 (69.5; 68.3); snout to pelvic insertion 48.8 (47.4; 47.4); 

 snout to pectoral insertion 24.1 (27.2; 21.7); distance from dorsal 

 origin to adipose origin 33.5 (27.7; 33.9); anus to anal origin 12.5 

 (13.8; 12.7); length of maxillary barbel 30.9 (32.2; 25.8); length of 

 outer mental barbel 15.3 (18.9; 14.5); length of inner mental barbel 

 8.52 (12.1; 8.48); length of base of anal fin 12.5 (12.3; 13.1). 



The following counts were made, respectively; Dorsal rays i, 6 

 (i, 6; i, 6); anal iv, 8 (iv, 7; iv, 8); pectoral i, 9-i, 9 (i, 9; i, 9); pelvic 

 i, 5-i, 5 (i, 5; i, 5); branched rays in caudal fin 15 (15; 15). 



Head a little depressed; body compressed posteriorly; gill mem- 

 branes extending far forward, free from the isthmus; teeth villiform 

 in a band on premaxillaries and on dentary, no posteriorly projecting 

 toothed areas laterally; margins of eyes not free; a pair of maxillary 

 barbels, in a groove to under eye, these barbels reaching to opposite 

 middle of pectorals; two pairs of mental barbels, their bases nearly 

 in a straight line; the outer mental barbel reaches to pectoral base 

 and the inner one two-thirds the way to pectoral base; nasal openings 

 far apart, the posterior nostril near eye and funnel-shaped, the 

 anterior nostril near front of snout tubular; mouth subterminal, 



