THE CATFISHES OF VENEZUEILA SCHULTZ 293 



Description. — Based on the holotype and numerous paratypes 

 listed above. All measurements are given in hundredths of the stand- 

 ard length, those for the holotype first and then in parentheses those 

 for the paratypes that were measured in detail. Standard length 

 (in mm.) 71.5 (72.0; 43.2; 60.2); total length 96.1 (92.0; 58.1; 77.0) 

 mm. 



Width of head at base of humeral process in front of base of pectoral 

 spine 28.0 (27.5; 25.0; 24.5); length of head from tip of snout to pos- 

 terior end of supraoccipital plate 36.5 (36.4; 37.3; 34.7); tip of snout 

 to upper edge of gill opening 33.0 (34.0; 30.8; 33.0; 30.6); greatest 

 depth of body 18.3 (18.7; 17.4; 16.9); length of snout 28.0 (27.5; 

 25.0; 24.5); width of fleshy interorbital space 11.9 (11.5; 12.7; 11.5); 

 diameter of eye 4.20 (4.30; 5.09; 5.00) ; the eye is larger on the smaller 

 specimens; length from base of last anal ray to midbase of caudal fin 

 rays 26.9 (25.7; 22.2; 24.4); least depth of caudal peduncle 12.2 

 (11.8; 12.3; 12.1); length of ramus of lower jaw 10.6 (10.1; 10.9; 10.3); 

 greatest width of lower lip 7.27 (6.94; 7.64; 6.29) ; rear edge of eye to 

 posterior edge of temporal plate opposite first lateral Ime pore 

 8.40 (8.61; 9.20; 8.71); length of first ray of dorsal fin 22.4 (22.4; 

 22.5; 18.7); length of la,st dorsal ray 17.5 (20.1; 16.4; 18.7); length of 

 pectoral spine 26.7 (27.1; 24.5; 24.5); length of upper bony ray of 

 caudal fin 23.6 (22.5; 25.0; 18.5); length of lower bony ray of caudal 

 fin 30.1 (30.0; 32.4; 26.8); length of ray of adipose fin 6.71 (7.08; 

 6.72; 8.38); length of longest anal fin ray 9.51 (8.48; 8.10; 8.54); 

 length of base of dorsal fin 26.6 (26.5; 25.7; 25.2) ; distance from bony 

 edge of nasal opening to tip of snout 19.9 (19.7; 25.0; 18.5); distance 

 from edge of nasal opening to eye 6.29 (5.73; 6.48; 5.32); tip of snout 

 to origin of dorsal fin 47.6 (46.5; 48.6; 47.6); tip of snout to origin of 

 anal 74.1 (73.1; 73.2; 69.6); tip of snout to origin of adipose 84.6 

 (85.2; 85.7; 82.4); distance from anus to anal origin 8.67 (9.03; 10.4; 

 8.55). 



The following counts were made, respectively: Rays in dorsal fin 

 I, 8 (I, 8 ; I, 8 ; I, 8) ; anal fin I, 4 (I, 4 ; 1, 4 ; 1, 4) ; pectoral rays always 

 I, 6 and pelvic rays always I, 5; pores in lateral line 24 (24; 24; 25); 

 series of plates along sides 24 (23 ; 24 ; 24) ; always 4 series of plates 

 in front of dorsal, and 4 or 5 plates between dorsal and adipose fins; 

 11 series of plates between anal base and midbase of caudal fin rays; 

 the spines on the opercle consist of 2 strong ones and 6 to 8 weaker 

 ones, those on the interopercle are hregular in number, usually in 

 three groups of 2 or 3 + 2 to 4 + 3 or 4, starting dorsally. 



Head broad, depressed, its width at base of pectoral a little greater 

 than its length (from tip of snout to rear of supraoccipital) ; eyes small 

 mostly in posterior quarter of the head; bony coveiing everywhere 



