THE OATFISHES OF VENEZUELA — SCHULTZ 313 



32.3 (31.3; 30.2); least depth of caudal peduncle 9.76 (9.2G; 9.36); 

 length of base of dorsal fin 25.5 (27.8; 26.7); length of bony dorsal 

 spine 33.9 (36.7; 36.7) ; length of bony pectoral spine 30.3 (33.7; 32.0) ; 

 length of anal spine 14.0 ( — ; 15.0); length of bony pelvic spine 29.3 

 (29.2; 28.4); length of upper ray of caudal fin 47.4 (— ; 45.0); length 

 of lower ray of caudal fin 51.1 (53.2; — ) ; length of shortest midcaudal 

 rays 23.7 (24.4; 24.6) ; distance from snout to origin of dorsal fin 42,1 

 (42.8; 44.5); snout to origin of adipose 79.6 (80.0; 83.2); snout to 

 origin of anal 64.7 (64.2; 65.6). 



The following counts were made, respectively. Dorsal rays alwavs 

 I, 7; anal always I, 4; pectoral always I, 6; and pelvic I, 5; teeth in 

 ramus of upper jaw on one side 15 (16; 15); and ramus of lower 

 jaw 16 (15; 16); number of scutes in lower lateral series 28 (28; 28),*: 

 pores in lateral line 29 (29; 29) ; plates from dorsal to origin of adipose 

 fin 7 (8; 7); plates from last ray of anal to base of midcaudal fin 

 rays 15 (15; 14) ; always three plates in front of dorsal fin. 



Head somewhat depressed, its contour from supraoccipital forward 

 almost straight; supraoccipital convex or arched, the posterior tip 

 extending backward into the plate; the area of the interorbital space 

 above eyes flattish, but the middle two-thirds, convex; the series of 

 lateral plates above and below the lateral line carinate the other 

 scutes on body wealdy carinate; no spines on opercle or interopercle ; 

 depressed dorsal fin reaching almost to origin of adipose; pectoral 

 spine about one-third the way out the pelvic spine, the latter reaching 

 a little beyond middle of anal fin; belly covered with small platelets, 

 the area of breast in front of bases of pectorals mostly naked (this 

 may become plated on adults however); dorsal fin truncate; caudal 

 fin deeply forked, the lower lobe with the longest ray, although this 

 is variable; caudal peduncle slender, about Sji in its length; intestine 

 much coiled, peritoneum blackish. 



Color. — Brownish everywhere, with numerous blackish spots 

 nearly the size of the pupil, except on head where they are ver}^ small 

 and more numerous ; these large spots occur on fins and on the bellv. 



Remarks.— This new species is closely related to Cochliodon pleco- 

 stomoides Eigenmann and Plecostomus hondae Regan but differs in 

 the number of teeth. C. pospisili has 13 to 16 teeth on each ramus 

 of the jaws and plecostomoides and hondae only 9 to 12. 



Named pospisili for Frank J. Pospisil, of the Lago Petroleum Cor- 

 poration, who made it possible for me to collect fishes in the Rio 

 Machango and also in the Andes of Venezuela. 



Genus LASIANCISTRUS Regan 



Lasiancistrus Regan, Trans. Zool. Soc. London, vol. 17, pt. 3, p. 224, 1904. 

 (Type, Chaetostomus heteracnnthus Giinther.) 



