THE CAT-FISHES OF VENEZUELA — SCHUL,TZ 269 



16. Two maxillary barbels at angle of mouth, outer one extending to base of 

 pectoral, inner to gill opening; distance of origin of dorsal from tip of caudal 

 a little more than 2 in length; origin of anal from tip of caudal less than 2 in 

 length; first pectoral ray greatly produced; head with brown dots. 



Tridensimilis brevis (Eigenmann and Eigenmann) 



Family DORADIDAE 



KEY TO THE GENERA AND SPECIES OF iDORADIDAE fREPORTED FROM iVENEZUELA " 



la. Head depressed, width of head across base of pectorals (cleithnim) greater 

 than length of head to end of opercle; barbels all simple. 

 2a, Series of lateral scutes, numbering 19 to 25, beginning over region of anus 

 and continuing posteriorly along the lateral line; anteriorly lateral line 

 without scutes; caudal peduncle naked above and below; eye in front of 

 middle of head; mouth subterminal, upper lip in front of tip of lower 

 jaw; pectoral spines serrated in front and behind; dorsal spine serrated 

 in front and in small specimens behind, only rough in adults; adipose 

 fin base longer than base of anal, but without keel forward; caudal fin 

 forked; dorsal II, 5; anal iv, 8 to 10; pectoral about I, 9; scutes 19 to 25; 

 color blackish above, pialer below, peritoneum white. 



Doraops zuloagai, new genus and species 



26. Lateral scutes in a continuous series along lateral line; caudal peduncle 



covered above and below by plates. 



3o. Lateral scutes very narrow, as wide as eye, leaving greater part of sides 



naked, with one in feeble contact with dorsal plate; eye just anterior 



to middle of head; head 3>i in standard length; eye 6>^ in head; dorsal 



I, 5; anal 11; lateral scutes 29; mouth terminal; caudal forked; color 



blackish with a white line down row of scutes, continued forward to 



eye; dorsal mottled lightly, first soft ray and its membrane black; 



caudal mottled, with two longitudinal black bands, these continuing 



the black of sides above and below white scutes. 



Orinocodoras eigenmanni Myers 

 36. Lateral scutes very deep, leaving only a narrow naked area along back; 

 3 scutes in contact with aorsal plate; eye in middle of head; dark 

 brown, rows of large white spots above and below lateral line; smaller 

 white spots on belly and caudal; dorsal black with a few large white 

 spots; maxillary with black and white rings; outer surface of humeral 

 process with two series of spines, reaching fourth lateral scute; 29 

 lateral scutes; maxillary barbel reaching pectoral. 



Agamysis albomaculatus (Peters) 



16. Head not depressed; width of head across base of pectorals (cleithrum) shorter 



than length of head to end of opercle; teeth feeble or lacking. 



4a. Maxillary barbel simple; mental barbels not united by a membrane joining 



their bases; nuchal shields without a foramen; adipose fin continued 



forward as a low keel, longer than anal fin base; first nostril remote from 



lip; eye behind middle of head; caudal peduncle naked above and below; 



lateral scutes 3 + 18 to 23; rows of tentacles on roof of mouth; dorsal 



I, 6; anal 11; head 3 to 3% in length; eye 4>2 to 8 in head; color dark 



brown, fins black Pseudodoras niger (Valenciennes) 



^^ I am not certain which species is actually involved in Eigenmann and Eigenmaim's (Occ. Papers Cali- 

 fornia Acad. Sci., vol. 1, p. 234, 1890) reference to Doras armatulus from Venezuela. 



533749 — 43- 



