ICHTHYOLOGY OF VENEZUELA — SCHULTZ 71 



at about half the distance from tip of snout to base of dorsal filament 

 there are 13 or 14 scales between lateral line and middorsal line; the 

 third or fourth branched rays of pectorals longest; anal rays near mid- 

 dle of that fin longest; lateral line straight, complete, the scales along 

 lateral line and midsides largest, gradually becoming smaller dorsally 

 and ventrally; caudal fin minutely scaled for three-fourths the way 

 out, the last third naked; interorbital sharply convex, about equal 

 to distance between anterior and posterior nostrils and about 3K in 

 the head; origin of anal under gill opening; tip of lower jaw with a 

 groove separated by a frenum at each side of tip from groove along 

 sides of lower jaw; mouth terminal, lower jaw fitting up between the 

 maxillaries; a small patch of villiform teeth on each side near front 

 of upper jaw; two rows of a few conical teeth at sides of lower jaw; 

 apparently no teeth near symphysis of lower jaw; a long fontanel 

 along middorsal line of head. 



Color. — In alcohol the ground color is mottled dark brown or 

 blackish at all ages, but the white color markings are greatly variable 

 with increase in length. A specimen 132 mm. in total length has a 

 cream-white band that encircles the body in the last one-fourth of 

 the anal fin, but the white color does not quite reach to end of anal 

 as the last few rays are blackish; the caudal peduncle is blackish 

 except posteriorly where a second narrow wliite band encircles it 

 just in front of base of caudal fin; caudal fin and anal fin blackish 

 except posteriorly; tip of chin pale or white; a white band from snout 

 tip along middorsal line to top of head thence represented by a few 

 pale blotches for a short distance along the back; pectorals blackish. 



A specimen 250 mm. in total length has the white streak along 

 top of head ending at occiput, and the wide white band near rear of 

 anal is broken up by numerous dark brown blotches, but there is no 

 dark blotch on the anal fin; otherwise coloration as in the specimen 

 132 mm. long. 



In the holotype, 363 mm. long, the pale band at rear of anal is 

 almost lacking, as the sides of the body in that region are blackish, 

 along the midline of back are a few white blotches and part of anal 

 fin is still white; the white band just in front of caudal fin is reduced 

 in width. In the largest specimens the white band at rear of anal 

 may be completely lacking but the narrow white streak at base of 

 caudal fin does not completely disappear. 



The peritoneum is pale. 



Remarks. — This new species is close to leptorhynchus in shape of 

 head and snout but dift'ers from it in having the eye considerably 

 in front of middle of length of head and also in several other respects, 

 as indicated in the key on page 68. In coloration this new species 

 differs from all others referred to the genus Apteronotus except A. 



