THE CATFTSHES OF VENEZUEiLA — StCHXTLTZ 231 



Description.— Based on the holotype and paratype. Detailed 

 measurements of the two type specimens, in hundredths of the stand- 

 ard length, are given below, first for the holotype, followed by the 

 paratype in parentheses. Standard length (in mm.) 270 (620). 



Length of head to tip of supraoccipital process 34.6 ( — ) ; length of 

 head to end of opercle 31.1 (29.4) ; greatest depth of body 17.6 (23.9); 

 greatest width of head at base of pectorals 25.4 (26.9) ; length of snout 

 15.0 (14.8); diameter of eye 4.14 (3.23); width of fleshy interorbital 

 space 12.8 (13.9); length of maxillary barbel 115 (82); length of outer 

 mental barbel 50.4 (33.0); length of inner mental barbel 27.8 (21.0); 

 total length of adipose fin 25.5 (24.7); length of base of anal fin 10.0 

 (12.3) ; height of adipose fin 5.36 (5.32) ; least depth of caudal peduncle 

 7.40 (7.90); length of caudal peduncle 18.9 (19.0); distance from 

 Anterior to posterior nasal opening 3.44 (2.90) ; distance from eye to 

 posterior nasal opening 7.10 (7.58); snout to origin of dorsal fin 37.6 

 ( — ) ; snout to origin of anal 71.0 (68.0) ; snout to adipose 63.3 (66.0) ; 



snout to pelvic insertion 49.6 ( ); snout to pectoral insertion 26.3 



( — ); anus to anal origin 10.7 (12.3); snout to anus 61.4 ( ); 



length of dorsal spine 21.1 (14.5); length of dorsal spine and its pro- 

 longed fleshy tip 26.7 (21.8); length of longest ray of anal (first or 

 second branched ray) 14.4 (13.4); length of longest (first branched) 

 ray of pelvic fins 16.6 (14.8); length of pectoral spine 21.8 (19.0); 

 length of longest ray of upper lobe of caudal fin 28.9 (25.3) ; length of 



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



midcaudal ray 13.0 (11.3); postorbital length of head 14.0 (13.1); 

 width of head across angle of mouth 18.5 (18.1); distance from tip 

 of chin to base of inner mental barbel 5.00 (5.00); tip of chin to base 

 of outer mental barbel 8.51 (7.90), 



The following counts were made: Dorsal rays I, 8 (I, 7); analv, 7 

 (v, 7); pectoral I, lO-I, 11 (I, ll-I, 11); pelvic i, 5 (i, 5); branched 

 ■caudal fin rays 15 (15); number of gill rakers on first gill arch 5 + 11. 



In addition to the characters given in the generic diagnosis, others 

 are mentioned below. The greatest depth is about 5^, head 3}'4, in 

 standard length; eye 3% in snout, 7% to 9 in head; bases of inner 

 mental barbels only a trifle in front of bases of outer mental barbels, 

 the latter reaching to base of pelvics or a little beyond; inner mental 

 barbels reaching a little past pectoral bases in the holotype; posterior 

 margins of dorsal and anal fins a little rounded, pectoral almost 

 truncate and pelvics a little rounded to truncate; adipose fin high, 

 its depth 4% in its length, the distance from adipose origin to rear 

 base of dorsal about IJi height of adipose or ji mterorbital space. 

 All teeth villiform, and similar in mouth. Underside of head flat, 

 nearly all in same plane. 



Color.- — Plain dark brownish above, pale below; somewhat mottled 

 with pale brown; all median fins with large roundish, dark blotches, 



