ICHTHYOLOGY OF VENEZUELA — SCHULTZ 



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32.4); length of base of anal fin 11.0 (11.6; 11.7; 11.2); length of 

 longest dorsal spine 18.6 (21.1 ; 18.5; 19.3) ; length of longest soft dorsal 

 ray — (13.1; — ; 13.2); longest soft anal ray 16.1 (17.0; — ; 14.7); 

 length of second anal spine 16.3 (17.4; — ; 15.8); longest pectoral fin 

 ray 25.2 (23.1; 22.7; 25.2); longest soft pelvic ray 13.0 (18.6; 12.3; 

 13.9); length of pelvic spine 9.32 (11.5; 8.34; 8.85); longest or middle 



Figure 18. — Opkioscion venezuelae Schultz: Holotype (U.S.N.M. No. 121749), 139.5 mm* 

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



caudal fin rays 25.9 (26.9; 22.7; 25.5); distance from tip of snout to 

 dorsal origin 37.1 (35.9; 38.5; 37.7); snout to anal origin 67,2 (65.4; 

 65.1; 66.2); snout to pectoral msertion 32.6 (31.1; 32.2; 31.6); snout 

 to pelvic insertion 32.6 (30.5; 30.6; 30.9); length of longest gill rakers 

 on first gill arch 1.58 (2.76; 1.66; 3.22). 



The following counts were made, respectively: Dorsal rays XI-I, 21 

 (XI-I,22; XII-1,21; XI-I,21; XI-I,21; XI-I,21; XI-I,22); anal rays 

 on all types 11,8 ; pectoral rays ii, 17-ii, 17 (ii,16;ii,17-ii,17;ii,17-ii,17; 

 ii,16); pelvics always 1,5; number of vertical scale rows above lateral 

 line 52 (53; 52; 54); scales from dorsal origin to lateral line 6 ( — ; 6; 

 6) and from base of first soft dorsal ray to lateral line 6 ( — ; 6; 6); 

 scales from lateral line to anal origin 8 ( — ; S>', S)] scales in a zigzag 

 row around the caudal peduncle 19 ( — ; 19; 19); number of gill rakers 

 on first gill arch 9 + 1 + 16 (— ; 10 + 1 + 18; 10+1 + 18; 9 + 1 + 16; 

 10 + 1 + 16). 



Head depressed forward but rounded dorsally, the interorbital space 

 convex, broad, about equal to the snout; body compressed; anterior 

 profile nearly straight but the dorsal contour curved, the ventral 

 contour but slightly curved backward to anus; back highest at base of 

 spiny dorsal fin; eye about 2% in postorbital length of head, 1.8 in 

 interorbital space; posterior nasal opening rounded, slightly larger 

 than the anterior one; tip of lower jaw without barbels; anal origin 



