276 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM vol.94 



KEY TO THE SPECIES OF HOPLOSTERNUM REPORTED FROM VENEZXJELA (AFTER 



GOSLINE, 1940) 



la. Median (azygous) preadipose scutes extending two-thirds of way or less 

 forward to dorsal ; postorbital a weak vertical rod; no platelet below anterior 

 scute of upper lateral series; all caudal rays of approximately same thick- 

 ness; body, dorsal, and caudal spotted. 



Hoplostemum thoracatum (Cuvier and Valenciennes) 



1&. Azygous preadipose scutes extending the entire distance between adipose and 

 dorsal; postorbital well developed, longer than deep; a roundish platelet 

 below anterior scute of upper lateral series; outer caudal rays consi4erably 

 thickened; body, dorsal, and caudal plain in color. 



Hoplostemum. littorale (Hancock) 



HOPLOSTEBNUM THORACATUM THORACATUM (Cuvier and Valenciennes) 



Callichthys thoracatus Cuvier and Valenciennes, Histoire naturelle des poissons, 



vol. 15, p. 309, pi. 443, 1840.— Peters, Monatsb. Akad. Wiss. Berlin, 1877, 



p. 471 (San Fernando de Apure, Venezuela). — Regan, Proc. Zool. Soc. 



London, 1906, pt. 1, p. 388 (Brazil; Guiana; Venezuela; Trinidad). — Rohl, 



Fauna descriptiva de Venezuela, p. 375, 1942 (Orinoco). 

 Hoplostemum thoracatum Fowler, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia, vol. 63, 



p. 436, 1911 (La Pedrita, on the Cano Uracoa, Venezuela). 

 Hoplostemum thoracatum thoracatum Gosline, Stanford Ichth. Bull., vol. 2, No. 1, 



p. 7, 1940 (Orinoco). 

 Hoplostemum oronocoi Fowler, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia, vol. 66, p. 229, 



fig. 8, 1915 (La Pedrita, Cano Uracoa, Venezuela). 



HOPLOSTERNUM THORACATUM MAGDALENAE Eigenmann 



Hoplostemum magdalenae Eigenmann, in Ellis, Ann. Carnegie Mus., vol. 8, Nos. 

 3, 4, p. 412, 1913. 



I do not have available at present sufficient specimens of the forms 

 from the Orinoco and Magdalena systems to be able to distinguish the 

 form in the Maracaibo Basin from the other supposed subspecies. 



The following specimens were collected by Leonard P. Schultz dur- 

 ing 1942, in the Maracaibo Basin, Venezuela: 



U.S.N. M. No. 121118, a specimen 87.7 mm. in standard length, from the Rio 

 San Juan at bridge, tributary to Rio Motatdn, March 20, 1942. 



U.S.N.M. No. 121120, 30 specimens, 17 to 65 mm., muddy pool, tributary, 

 during rainy season, Rfo G6, near Rosario, collected with the aid of Mr. Butcher 

 and Mr. Refshauge, March 8, 1942. 



U.S.N.M. No. 121119, 4 specimens, 17 to 30 mm., pond tributary to Rfo G6 at 

 Rosario, Rio Palmar drainage, March 8, 1942, collected with the aid of Mr. 

 Butclier and Mr. Refshauge. The fishes were dark reddish brown, pale ventrally, 

 barbels dark reddish brown. They lived in the mud and among weeds. 



HOPLOSTERNUM LITTORALE (Hancock) 



Callichthjjs littoralis Hancock, Zool. Journ., vol. 4, p. 244, 1828. — Pellegrin, 

 Bull. Mus. Hist. Nat. Paris, vol. 5, p. 158, 1899 (Apure River, Venezuela). 



Hoplostemum littorale Fowler, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia, vol. 63, p. 436, 

 1911 (La Pedrita, on the Cano Uracoa, Venezuela); vol. 66, p. 229, 1915 

 (Trinidad and Venezuela). 



