Jordan and Evertnmin. — Fishes of North America. 1527 



ning again below, as usual iu this family. Dorsal tiu continuous, the 

 spinous part much longer than the soft part, of about 17 rather low but 

 strong spines ; soft rays much higher than spines ; aual fin similar to soft 

 dorsal but shorter, its spinous part also longer than the soft, of 4 to 10 

 spines; vertical fins not closely scaled; caudal fin subtruncate, with 

 rounded angles. This genus as here understood diflers from Cichlasoma 

 in the absence of frenum to the lower lip; the anal spines are numerous 

 (4 to 10), the mouth not greatly protractile, and the dorsal and anal fins 

 not closely scaled. The characters separating Ckhlasomu, Heros, Jiquidens, 

 and Astronotus are not of great importance, and may be not wholly natural. 

 Eecent authors have united all under one generic name, Astronotus." It 

 seems to us, however, more convenient to recognize these groui)S as dis- 

 tinct genera, as a help toward the orderly arrangement of the great mass 

 of species usually referred to Heros. E\en as thus restricted, Hcros is a 

 very large genus, taking iu the rivers of South America the place filled 

 in North America by Lepomis and related genera. Species very numerous, 

 chiefly South American. The species of this genus have never b.en criti- 

 cally compared. O'jpoos, hero, the allusion not evident.) The followiug 

 analysis will be found artificial and of little value: 

 a. Anal spines 8 or 9 (rarely 7). 



h. Dorsal rays X Vni, 9 or 10 ; scal.-s 31. fbiedrichsthali, 1924. 



hb. Dorsal rays XVII, 10; scales 29. SALVIni, 1925. 



bhb. Dorsal rays XVI, 8 or 9 ; scales 29. affinis! 1926. 



bbbh. Dorsal rays XVI, 11 or 12; scales 30. maculipinnis! 1927. 



aa. Anal spines 7 (rarely 6 or 8). 



c. Body comparatively deep, the depth J the length; soft tins elevated. 



TRIJIACULATVS, 1928. 



cc. Body ohiong, the depth 2^ to 2i in the length. 



d. Dorsal with 17 (rarely 16 or IS or 19) spines and 11 or 12 soft rjiya. 



e. Males with the lips greatly thickened and vertically expanded ; scales 



32. 



LABIATUS, LOBOCHILUS, 1929, 1930. 



ee. Males with the lips not greatly thickened nor expanded. 



EEYTHR.EUS, BASILARIS, NICARAGUENSIS, MANAGUENSIS. 1931-1934. 



dd. Dorsal with 16 spines and but 9 or 10 soft rays; scales 33; head 3 in 

 '•^"Stll- AUREUS, 1935. 



cce. Body rather deep, the depth 2J iu length ; dorsal rays XVI or XVIl, 12. 



CITRINELLUS, 1936. 



cccc. Body comparatively elongate, the depth 3 in length ; dorsal rays XVIII, 18. 



MOTAGUENSIS, 1937. 



aaa. Anal spines 6 (rarely 5 or 7). 



/. Dorsal rays XVIII, 11 to 14. 



g. Body rather elongate, the depth 3 in length; scales 33 to 35. 



OBLONGUS, DOvn, 1938, 1939. 

 gg. Body rather deep, the depth 2J iu length; scales 34. 



GIBBICEPS, MICROPHTHALMUS, 1940, 1941. 



//. Dorsal rays XVT or XVII, 10, rarely 11 ; depth 2^ to 2i in length ; a dark spot 

 at base of caudal. 

 h. Caudal spot ocellate; no blue spots ; scales 29. urophthalmus, 1942. 



hh. Caudal spot diffuse. 



i. Body banded with dark ; no blue spots ; scales 33. troscheli, 1943. 

 li. Body and fins with many small blue spots; scales 25. 



CrANOGUTTATUS, 1944. 



iQ*/*'^^""'"*' Swainson 1839 (ocellatus) = Acara, Heckel, 1840, as restricted by Gill 

 18oH — Hijgrogonns, Gunther, 1862. ^ ' 



