THE CATFTSHES OF VE^TEZUELA SCHULTZ 253 



branched rays of dorsal and pectorals 2 to 2.4 in snout to dorsal. 

 (Pectoral rays on six specimens i,8; anal rays iv, 20 and iv,21 

 equally on four examples; pelvics i, 5 on six specimens). 



Pseudocetopsis othonops (Eigenmann) 

 5b. Color darker above, paler below, with numerous dark blotches on sides, 

 a little larger than ej^e; anal base 3.0 to 3.2 in standard length; snout 

 to dorsal 2.8 to 3.2 in standard length and 0.9 to 1.0 in length of anal 

 base; longest branched ray of pectorals 2.0 to 2.3 in snout to dorsal; 

 anal rays iii or iv, 21 to 24. 

 7a. Posterior mental barbel reaching to edge or a little past gill mem- 

 branes on underside of head; depth 4.9, head 4.2, all in standard 

 length; least depth of caudal peduncle equal to its length and 2.2 in 

 anal fin base; length of maxillary barbel 3.1 in anal base and it 

 reaches two-thirds way to end of head; anal rays iii (iv ?), 23 or 24. 

 Pseudocetopsis plumbeus plumbeus (Steindachner) 

 76. Posterior mental barbel reaching four-fifths way to edge of gill mem- 

 brane; depth 3.7 to 4.0; head 3.5 to 4.0 in standard length; least 

 depth of caudal peduncle 0.98 to 1.01 in its length and 2.2 to 2.5 

 times in length of anal fin base; length of maxillary barbel 4 to 4.2 

 in anal base and it reaches halfway to end of head; pelvics do not 

 reach anus; anal rays iii or iv, 22 or 23; pectoral rays usually i,9. 

 occasionally i,8. 



Pseudocetopsis plumbeus Orinoco, new subspecies 

 7c. Posterior mental barbel reacliing two-thirds way to edge of gill mem- 

 branes or four-fifths in some males; depth 4.6 to 5.1, head 3.5 to 4.0 

 in standard length; least depth of caudal peduncle 1.2 to 1.25 in its 

 length and 2.6 to 2.8 times in length of anal fin base; length of maxillary 

 barbel 2)^ to 3)^3 in anal base and reaching one-half to three-quarters 

 way to end of head; pelvics not reaching to anus; anal rays iii or iv, 

 21 to 24, usually 22 or 23; pectoral rays i,9, rarely i,8. 



Pseudocetopsis plumbeus motatanensis, new subspecies 



PSEUDOCETOPSIS PLUMBEUS ORINOCO, new subspecies 



Plate 5, A 



Holotype. — U.S.N.M. No. 121263, a specimen 95 mm. in standard 

 length, collected by Leonard P. Scluiltz, March 31, 1942, in the Rio 

 Torbes, 1 km. above Tariba, Orinoco system, Venezuela. 



Paratypes.—V.^.^.M. No. 121264, 2 specimens, 64.5 and 92 mm., 

 collected by L. P. Schultz, G. Zuloaga, Roger Sherman, and William 

 Phelps, Jr., May 12, 1942, in the Rio Guarico and tributaries between 

 San Sebastian and San Casimiro, Estado de Aragua, Venezuela. 



Description. — Detailed measurements made on the tiiree types are 

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

 holotype and then for the paratypes in parentheses, respectively. 

 Standard lengths (in mm.) 95 (92; 64.5). 



Length of head 26.1 (27.3; 27.1); greatest depth 25.3 (26.7; 25.1); 

 length of snout 9.16 (7.94; 8.22); diameter of eye 2.53 (2.61; 3.26); 

 width of interorbital space 10.0 (10.8; 9.46); postorbital length of 

 head 17.8 (17.9; 17.7) ; distance between anterior pair of nasal openings 



533749 — 43 6 



