THE CATFISHES OF VENEZUELA — SICHIILTZ 241 



Holotype.—-\J.S.'NM. No. 121260, a specimen 207 mm. in standard 

 length, collected by Leonard P. Scliultz, May 1, 1942, in the Rio Agua 

 Cahente, 2 to 3 km. above Lago Maracaibo. 



Paratypes.—V.S.'NM.No. 121261, 2 examples, 215 and 228 mm., 

 collected along with the holotype and bearing the same data; U.S.N.M. 

 No. 121262, 2 specimens, 203 and 370 mm., collected by Leonard P. 

 Schultz, March 2, 1942, in the Rio Negro below the mouth of the 

 Rio Yasa, west side of Lago Maracaibo, Venezuela. 



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

 Detailed measurements were made on the holotype and two paratypes, 

 and these data are recorded in table 9. Certain counts were made 

 and these have been recorded in table 10. In one specimen oi jreiei 

 the pectoral fui on one side had the count of I, 11, but the last ray 

 was much larger than usual and perhaps an injury had removed 

 the last rays, although it looked normal otherwise. The holotype 

 has the following fin-ray counts : Dorsal rays I, 6 ; anal iv, 33 ; pectoral 

 I, 13-1, 13; pelvic i, 6; branched caudal fin rays 15. The number of 

 gill rakers is 3 + 10. 



The body is compressed, but the front of the he'ad, especially the 

 snout, is greatly depressed, flat, and thin; the snout projects beyond 

 the lower jaw; the eyes are lateral and can be seen equally from above 

 or below; the width of the head across outer angle of maxillaries is 

 about equal to the width across base of pectorals; the profile just in 

 front of dorsal fin is steep; the supraoccipital process meets the bony 

 predorsal plate; the nostrils are widely separated, the posterior one 

 is twice the distance between the anterior and posterior ones from 

 the eye, anterior nostril near front of snout; teeth villiform, in a 

 wide band on premaxillaries, and a narrower band on dentaries; 

 gill membranes joined to the isthmus; adipose fin small, with a narrow 

 base; dorsal spine pungent, as is pectoral spine; anal fin long, its base 

 almost as long as the head; depth at origin of dorsal about 5K to 6)i 

 in the standard length, and 2 to 2)i in the head; width across angles 

 of mouth 1.6 to 1.95 in the head; head 2.6 to 3 in standard length; 

 maxillary barbel not reaching past rictus of mouth; gill rakers short, 

 stiff, few in number; margin of eyes not free; caudal fin deeply con- 

 cave, forked, lobes almost equal, the upper a little more pointed and 

 a trifle longer; rear margin of pectoral fin truncate; posterior margin 

 of pelvics truncate to a little concave; first branched rays of anal 

 longest. 



