ICHTHYOLOGY OF VENEZUELA — SCHULTZ 109 



The following counts were made, respectively, for holotype and 

 paratype: Dorsal rays III-I, i, 7 and III-I, i, 7. Anal rays I, i, 22 

 and I, i, 22. Pectoral rays i, 12-i, 13 and i, 12-i, 12. Pelvics always I, 

 5 and branched caudal fin rays always 15. Scales from first dorsal 

 origin to lateral line 5 and 5 and from lateral line to anal origin 4 and 4. 

 Scale rows from head to midbase of caudal fin 45 and 48. Scales 

 from first dorsal origin to pigmented area over brain 22 and 23. One 

 or two scales between anal origin and anus. Scales between bases of 

 dorsal fins 7 and 7. Zigzag scales around least depth of caudal 

 peduncle 16 and 16. Gill rakers on fii'st gill arch 3 + 1 + 15 and 

 3 + 1 + 15. Vertebral count for one of the paratypes 14 + 27. 



v^^ , 



V 



Figure 15. — Coleotropis blackburni, new species: Holotype (U.S.N.M. No. 123205), 82 mm; 

 in standard length. Drawn by Mrs. Aime M. Awl. 



Coloration. — In alcohol, plain except for silvery lateral band which 

 has a blackish dorsal border; a few dark pigment cells stiU visible on 

 posterior border of scales that occur above silvery lateral band. 



Remarks .—ThiQ new species is related to Coleotropis starksi (Meek 

 and Hildebrand) from the Pacific side of Panama but differs from 

 that species by having I, i, 21 to I, i, 23 anal rays instead of I, i, 25 

 to I, i, 28. In addition C. blackburni has 44 to 48 scales instead of 41 

 to 42 as in C. starksi. 



Named in honor of Capt. P. P. Blackburn, of the U. S, S. Niagara, 

 who preserved all the fishes collected in Venezuelan waters in 1924- 

 1925 reported upon in this contribution. It gives me great pleasure 

 to name this interesting species of silverside after Captain Blackburn. 



Family SPHYRAENIDAE: Barracudas 



Genus SPHYRAENA Walbaum 



Sphyraena Walbaum, Artedi's Bibliotheca ichthyologicae, vol. 3, pp. 94, 584, 

 1792. (Genotype, Esox barracuda Walbaum.) 



SPHYRAENA BARRACUDA (Walbaum) 

 PiCUDA 



Esox barracuda Walbaum, Artedi's Bibliotheca ichthyologicae, vol. 3, pp. 94, 



584, 1792 (West Indies). 

 Sphyraena barracuda Rohl, Fauna descriptiva de Venezuela, p. 392, fig. 201, 



1942 (coast of Venezuela). 



