80 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM vol. 99 



STRONGVLURA RAPHIDOMA (Ranzani) 



Aguja de mar o mono 



Belone raphidoma Ranzani, Novi Comment. Acad. Sci. Inst. Bonon., vol. 5, 



p. 359, pi. 37, figs. 1-5, 1842 (Brazilian seas). 

 Tylosurus raphidoma Rohl, Fauna descriptiva de Venezuela, p. 375, 1942 (coast 



of Venezuela). 



STRONGYLURA TIMUCU (Walbaum) 



Aquja 



Esox timucu Walbaum, in Artedi's Bibliotheca ichthyologica, vol. 3, p. 88, 1792 

 (Brazil) (after Timucu of Marcgrave) . 



U.S.N.M. No. 121782, 5 specimens, 218 to 235 mm. in standard length, Lago 

 de Maracaibo at Yacht Club, Maracaibo, March 5, 1942. 



U.S.N.M. No. 121784, 7 specimens, 72 to 128 mm., from Lago de Maracaibo at 

 Yacht Club, Maracaibo, May 16, 1942. 



U.S.N.M. No. 121783, 3 specimens, about 73 to 80 mm. (beaks broken), from 

 Lago de Maracaibo, 2 miles off Lagunillas, March 15. 



U.S.N.M. No. 121784, 3 specimens, about 67 to 208 mm., Lago de Maracaibo, 

 1 km. off Pueblo Viejo, April 7-8. 



U.S.N.M. No. 121781, 5 specimens, 574 to 690 mm., from mouth of Rfo Concha, 

 and in Lago de Maracaibo, Maj^ 2. 



The base of the caudal fin of two specimens, 48 and 49 mm., Rio 

 Apure at San Fernando de Apture, F. F. Bond, February 16, 1938, 

 has a distinct black spot not observed in those of small size from 

 the Maracaibo Basin. 



The large specimens from Lago de Maracaibo at the mouth of the 

 Rio Concha were apparently ready for spawning, as a light pressure 

 on the abdomen of the females caused pale yellowish eggs to flow 

 freely. The eggs probably adhere to the vegetation, as they appear 

 to possess fine adhesive threads and were very sticky when touched. 



Family HEMIRAMPHIDAE: Halfbeaks 



The identifications for this family were made by Dr. Robert R. 

 Miller, former associate curator of fishes, United States National 

 Museum, during his investigation of this group of fishes for the purpose 

 of describing a new species from Mexico. 



Genus HYPORHAMPHUS Gill 



Hyporhamphus Gill, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia, 1859, p. 131. (Genotype, 

 Hyporhamphus tricuspidatus Gi\\ = Hemiramphus unifasciatus Ranzani.) 



HYPORHAMPHUS ROBERTI (Valenciennes) 



HaLPBEAK; BaLAO O BALAjtj 



Hemirhamphus roberti Valenciennes, in Cuvier and Valenciennes, Histoire 

 naturelle des poissons, vol. 19, p. 24, 1846 (Ca3^enne). 



U.S.N.M. No. 121818, a specimen, 57 mm. in standard length, Lago de Mara- 

 caibo at Yacht Club, Maracaibo, May 16, 1942. 



U.S.N.M. No. 121816, a specimen, 103 mm., cano at Los Monitos, Rfo Lim6n 

 system, March 11, 1942. 



