THE CATFISHES OF VENEZUEiLA — S€HULTZ 271 



entirely covering the caudal peduncle above and below, while in 

 Doraops this area is naked. 



Fowler (Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia, vol. 91, p. 226, 1940) 

 described a new Peruvian genus, Liosomadoras, and referred it to the 

 famdy Doradidae. This genus differs from Doraops in lacldng the 

 lateral series of bony scutes and m having an adipose fin with its 

 base shorter than that of the anal fin. The large air bladder does 

 not agree in structure with any figiu-e of an air bladder from other 

 species. 



Named Doraops in reference to its similarities to other members 

 of the family Doradidae. 



Genotype. — Doraops zuloagai, new species. 



DORAOPS ZULOAGAI, new species 



Mariano 

 Figure 5; Plate 7, A 



Holotype.—U.^.'^M. No. 121015, a female, 287 mm. m standard 

 length, taken by Leonard P. Schultz in Rio de Los Pajaros, 3 km. 

 above Lago Maracaibo, April 30, 1942. This "rio" is actually a 

 cano about 200 feet wide and 15 feet deep that extends back into a 

 "cienaga" or swampy jungle for several kilometers. Bottom of deep 

 mud and debris. 



Paratypes (all taken by L. P. Schultz).— U.S.N. M. No. 121017, 

 4 specimens, 231 to 355 mm. in standard length, from the Rio Negro, 

 about 3 km. below the mouth of the Rio Yasa, Santa Ana system, 

 Maracaibo Basin, March 2, 1942; U.S.N.M. No. 121018, a specimen 

 365 mm. in standard length, taken April 7-9, 1942, in a gill net set 

 in Lago Maracaibo 1 km. off Pueblo Viejo in 2 meters of water; 

 U.S.N.M. No. 121016, 7 spechnens, 318 to 460 mm. in standard 

 length, from the Rio Ap6n, a few kilometers belo^v the mouth of 

 the Rio Cogollo and about 35 km. south of Rosario, Maracaibo 

 Basin, February 26, 1942. 



In all these localities where this fish occurred the bottom was 

 muddy. They had been feeding on small crabs and snails. 



Description. — Based on the holotype and 12 paratypes listed 

 above. All measurements are given in himdredths of the standard 

 length, those for the holotype outside the parentheses and those 

 for the paratypes within parentheses, respectively. Standard length 

 (m mm.) 287 (365; 355; 317; 231); total length (in mm.) 345 (447; 

 432; 380; 275). The caudal fin appears to wear off with age so 

 that the upper and lower lobes wear off rounded, thus giving a pro- 

 portionally shorter fish in relation to the standard length. 



Width of head at base of pectoral spine 23.0 (23.3; 21.8; 22.5; 

 23.3); length of head 24.9 (25.2; 26.2; 24.9; 25.4); length of snout 9.23 

 (9.04; 8.73; 8.36; 8.49); postorbital length of head 14.5 (14.5; 15.8; 



