1952 Bulletin ^7, United States National Muscinn. 



Cottus wilsoni,* Gikard, Monograph Cottoids, 42, 1851, Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. (Coll. 

 Jacob Green.) 



Cottus aivordii,f GiRARD, Monograph Cottoids, 46, 1851, Fort Gratiot, Lake Huron. 

 (Coll. Major Benj. Alvord.) 



Potainocottus zopherus,X Jordan, Ann. Lye. Nat. Hist. N. Y. 187G, 320, Etowah River and 



tributaries, Rome, Georgia. (Coll. Jordan & Gilbert.) 



Vranidea richarcUoni. Jordan & Gilbert, Synopsis, 696, 1883. 



TJranidea richardsoni, Jordan Sz, Gilbert, Synopsis, 696, 1883; but the name richardsoni 

 is i)reoccupied in Cottus. 



Cottus hairdii, Jordan, Bull. U. S. Fish Comm. 1889, 29. 



Potainocottus caroUnce,^ Gill, Proc. Bost. Soc. Nat. Hist. 1861, 40, Carolina; Gill, in Simp- 

 son Kept. Ichtli. Utah, 403, 1877. 



Subgenus TAURIDEA, Jordan & Rice. 



2322. COTTCS RICEI, Nelson. 



Head 3| ; depth 5^. First dorsal VIII, second dorsal and anal destroyed ; 

 V. I; 4; P. 15. Eye 4^, IJ in interorbital space and equalling snout. Body 

 short and stout^ abruptly contracted opposite base of anal. Head much 

 depressed, very broad and flat, broader than body, breadth greater than 

 length; depth 4^ length. Palatine teeth present. Tail very small, sub- 

 terete. Outline tadpole-like. Jaws about equal; mouth rather narrow ; 

 jaws contracted and somewhat produced. Eyes on upper surface near 

 together. Preo])ereular spine extremly large, 3 times as large as in any 

 other fresh-water Cottoid known, as long as eye, hooked backward and 

 upward, giving a buffalo-like appearance. Three spines hoolced down- 

 ward below the larger spine ; the lower concealed ; a strong spine hooked 

 forward at base of opercles. Branchiostegals 6. Isthmus as wide as from 

 snout to middle of orbit. Base of pectorals crescentic, their tips just short 

 of anal; rays all simple; ventrals reaching f distance to vent. Profile 

 rising rapidly to dorsal, which runs along a sort of carina. Dorsal begin- 

 ning a trifle behind ventrals, just behind bead, about midway between 

 snout and anal. Vent midway between snout and base of caudal. Depth 

 at first ray of anal less than i length of head, thickenijig at same point 

 over ^. Head smooth. Space above lateral line behind head covered 

 with small stiff prickles hooked backward, readily visible as small black 

 specks Avhen skin is dry. Color jiale brown, irregularly spotted and mot- 

 tled with darker brown somewhat as in Lola; pectorals mottled; belly 

 white ; spines spirally curved, forming i a spiral. The most peculiar char- 

 acters are the strong spines of the preopercle and the smaller ones below, 



* Coitus vnlsoni, Girard, is rather stouter, with stronger palatine teeth, and with some 

 of the uppermost of the pectoral rays bifurcate, these being entire in the others. 

 Ohio Valley, Pennsvlvania, and Indiana. 



t Cottus alvordi, (Jirard, is short and chubby, with the first dorsal rather high, and 

 joined by membrane to second more than in the other forms. Common in Wisconsin and 

 Michigan. 



t Cottus zopherus, Jordan, is slender and very dark in color, and more conspicuously 

 variegated; the first dorsRl high; the palatine teeth well developed; probably worthy 

 of varietal recognition. Alabama Basin. 



5' Cottus carolince. Gill, is a very large form, rather robust, reaching a length of nearly 

 6 inches, without axillary prickles, and with the palatine teeth well developed. The 

 lateral line, as in the nther tonus, is sometimes C(mtinuous and sometimes interrupted. 

 It abounds in the limustouu region from Indiana to Tennessee, and is frequently found 

 in caves. 



