eigenmann: the cheirodontin^. 83 



Compressed, slender; dorsal and ventral profiles nearly equally curved; pre- 

 ventral area rounded, with a nearly regular median series of twelve to thirteen 

 scales; predorsal area rounded, with a perfect median series of nine to ten scales; 

 occipital process extending one-sixth to one-seventh the distance to the dorsal, 

 bordered by three scales on each side; frontal fontanel equilateral, less than half 

 as long as the parietal; skull convex, smooth between the eyes. 



Maxillary comparatively long, at least two-thirds as long as eye, its free margin 

 a little convex; teeth narrow, the sides nearly parallel; a large median point and 

 two small points on each side, those of the front of the lower jaw shghtly broader 

 than those of upper jaw; premaxillary teeth five to seven; maxillary teeth two; 

 mandibulary teeth six to nine, the first four of nearly equal size, those on sides 

 rapidly graduated, the last ones conical; third suborbital covering the cheek below, 

 leaving only a narrow naked wedge behind it. Postorbitals covering about two- 

 thirds of the width of the postorbital area. Gill-rakers 6 -|- 12. 



Origin of the dorsal equidistant from snout and middle caudal rays, the dorsal 

 pointed, its highest ray about equal to length of head. Adipose fin well-developed. 

 Origin of anal under the vertical from posterior part of the dorsal. The interhsemals 

 of the caudal peduncle weak, very few, about five, if at all developed, not projecting 

 in any of these specimens. Ventral not reaching anal. Pectorals long, reaching 

 to or nearly to the ventrals. None of the anal rays have hooks; it is probable 

 therefore that the specimens are all females. 



Scales regularly imbricate, with a few diverging radial striae; caudal naked. 

 Anal with a few scales along the base of the anterior rays. 



Straw-colored, the scales of the back margined with a row of chromatophores; 

 a large triangular caudal spot not extending to the end of the middle rays, continued 

 forward along the middle of the sides as a narrow band to in front of dorsal. Tip 

 of dorsal and membranes between first and second and upper half of second and 

 third dark. 



Genus XX. Holesthes^^ Eigenmann. 

 Holoshesthes Eigenmann, Smiths. Misc. Coll. Quarterly, Vol. XLV, 1903, p. 144. 



Type : Cheirodon pequira Steindachner. 



Very similar to Aphyocheirodon and Odontostilbe. 



Teeth notched, in a single series, six or seven in the premaxillary, rather 

 narrow, but little expanded toward tip, more or less ovate, with five to seven 

 notches, of which the median one is a little the larger, the rest being lateral; mandib- 



^ oXos = complete; I<r9ijs, 17 = clothing, in allusion to the complete dentition of the maxillary. I here 

 take opportunity to amend the spelling of this generic name. 



