Jordan and Evermann. — Fishes of North America. 119 



Mexico to Bahia, a doubtful species, placed by Eigenmann with F. fila- 

 mentosus, as synonym of F. mar in us. 



Galeichlhiis haldensis, CaS'TLKSav, Anim. Amer. Slid., 37, 18ri5, Bahia. 

 Ailuiiclitlti/s lo»(iispinui, GOnthek, Cat., v, 178, 1864, Mexico; South America. 



69 to 74. GALEICHTHYS, Cuvier & Valenciennes 

 (Ska Catfish.) 



Ti^rhysiinns, LAcfipilDE, Hist. Nnt. Poiss., v, 151, 180.3, (chinensis). 



Giileichthi/s, Cuvier & Vai,en(uenne8, xv, 28, 1840, {fcUceps, etc.) 



Arui^, CitviEU & Valenciennes, I. c, 52, ((7raHrf1co.sst.s-, arms, etc.) (Restricted to «riua by Bleeker 



in 1858)=:Trtc/i;/.s»)i((!. 

 Ariodes, MOlleu & Troschel, Horiv Telithynl., ni, 9, 1849, {arenarim, etc.) (^Tudiysurm.) 

 Hexanematichlhiin, Bleekeii, Ichtliyol. Archip. Indici Siluri, (Jl, 1858, (sondaicns). 

 Cephalocassis, Bleeker, I.e., 02, [melnnochir). {:=zHexanematkhlhys.) 

 Netttma, Bleeker, I. c, 02, (nasitl,i). 



Gmritinga, Bleeker, I. c, 02, {c(im)iie)soni). {=:Xeluma.). 

 Sciadeichlhi/s, Bleekeb, I. c, 62, {eniphijsetiin). 

 SeJenaspix, Bleeker, I. c, 02, (Jicr-Jterijii). 



neniiaritin, Blkeker, Nederl. TijdBkr. Pierk., 1, 1802, 90, (stormi). (^HexanemnliclilhyK.) 

 PneiuJariiin, Bleeker, I. c, 01, {arius; gramlicassis being regarded as typo uf Arii(s). {=Titchys}(n(S.) 

 Leplarins, Gill, I'roc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Pliila., 1863, 170, (dowi). {=Stdenaspis.) 

 Arinpsis, Gill, I. c, {milherti=feU8). {=He.mnemalichlhys.) 

 Notariiis, Gill, /. c, (grandicassis). {:=Neliima.) 



Body more or less elongate, subterete. Head armed with a bony shield 

 above, behind which projects an occipital shield ; another smaller shield 

 at the base of the dorsal spine; these shields usually distinct l)ut some- 

 times covered by the skin as in Felichtliys. Skull with a fontanelle. 

 Mouth not large, the upper jaw the longer. Teeth villiform or granular, 

 in a band in each jaw ; teeth in 1 or 2 patches each on the vomer and 

 palatines, all of them sometimes confluent into one band ; the palatine 

 teeth never movable. Barbels 6 (the nostrils without barbel), close 

 together, the posterior with a valve ; maxillary barbels usually short and 

 terete or somewhat compressed. Eyes with a more or less free orbital 

 margin, the upper edge sometimes adnate. Dorsal fin short, in front of 

 the ventrals, with a pungent spine and about 7 rays; adipose fin well 

 developed, posteriorly free; caudal fin deeply forked; anal fin short; 

 pectorals each with a spine ; ventral rays 6. Skin smooth, naked, except 

 on the occipital and nuchal regions, where it is usually confluent with 

 the surface of the bony bucklers. Marine catfishes. Species very num- 

 erous on sandy shores in the tropical seas, never about coral reefs. This 

 group has been treated as one genus by Giinther, Eigenmann, and Jordan 

 &. Gilbert. It seems to us more natural to separate the American species 

 into several genera, which is done in the descriptive text below, too late 

 for insertion in the key. {Tux'i'i, swift; ovpu, tail.) 

 Galeichtiiv.^,* {ya\Ti, weasel ; ix^vt, fish): (gonu.s 09.) 



a. Head and occiput entirely covered by flesh and skin ; occipital process sparingly granu- 

 lated. 



*Thia analysis of species is condensed from that given bv Eigenmann, S. .\. Nomatognathi, 

 4,3, and from that given by .Ionian & Gilbert, Bull. U. S. Fish Com., 1882, ,37. Wo omit from 

 this analysis all those species which have not as yet been found north of (Juiaua. The sub- 

 generic groups are recognized below as gi-nera. 



