74 BULLETIN 188, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



1&. Upper lip not separated from snout by a groove but continuous with skin 

 of snout ; mouth conspicuously inferior ; lower lip with or without a 

 sucking disk Garrinae 



Subfamily Abraminae 



These fishes are a rather conspicuous element in the fresh-water 

 fauna in all parts of the country. They may at once be recognized 

 by the greatly compressed body and the cultrate ventral edge, which, 

 in the local genera, extends along the whole length of the abdomen. 

 Seven genera and 17 species are herein considered : 



la. Ventral fins present. 

 2a. Predorsal scales extending between eyes; mandibular symphysis witn a 

 well-developed hook fitting into a depression in upper jaw. 

 3a. Pectoral fins Inserted above ventral profile, which is evenly curved 

 throughout ; body oblong ; scales of medium size, not over 70 in lateral 



line; of small size Oxygaster 



3&. Pectoral fins inserted in the ventral profile, which is convex anteriorly 

 and straight between pectorals and ventrals ; body very elongate ; scales 

 very small, more than 115 in lateral line ; of large size. 



Macrochirichthys 

 26. Predorsal scales not extending between eyes ; mandibular symphysis with 

 or without a hook or knob fitting into a depression in upper jaw. 

 4a. Dorsal fin entirely opposite anal ; no hook or knob at mandibular sym- 

 physis; pharyngeal teeth triserial ; scales in lateral line 31 to 37. 



Chela 

 46. Dorsal fin entirely or partly in advance of anal ; hook or knob at mandib- 

 ular symphysis more or less developed. 

 5a. Pharyngeal teeth biserial; ventral fins far forward, their base 

 nearer to head than to anal fin ; lateral line continuous ; 



scales in lateral line 74 to 75 ; gill rakers over 100 Longiculter 



56. Pharyngeal teeth triserial; ventral fins farther back, their base much 



nearer to anal fiu than to head ; gill rakers less than 50. 



6a, Body moderately elongate, with dorsal and ventral profiles strongly 



curved; usually a slight nuchal concavity; postorbital region 



short, less than 0.5 length of head ; air bladder bipartite ; scales 



in lateral line 50 to 70 Paralaubuca 



66. Body more elongate, with profile from tip of snout to dorsal fin 

 straight and horizontal or very slightly curved ; no nuchal con- 

 cavity; ventral profile strongly curved; postorbital region long, 

 more than 0.5 length of head, air bladder tripartite; scales in 



lateral line over 90 Cultrops 



16. Ventral fins absent ; dorsal fin over anal ; branched anal rays 30 to 

 35 Parachela 



Genus OXYGASTER van Hasselt 



Oxygaster van Hasselt, Alg. Konst. Letterbode, vol. 2, p. 132, 1823. (Type, 

 Oxijgaster anomalura van Hasselt.) 



Fishes now assignable to this genus were for many years listed under 

 the name of Chela, a composite genus of Hamilton (1822). Bleeker 



