184 



MEMOIRS OF THE CARNEGIE MUSEUM. 



the other hand Steindachner, who has examined many specimens of Sternarchus 

 alhifrons, observes that the caudal region of most of the individuals had been 

 mutilated and the caudal fin regenerated. He says: "Seit der Publication meiner 

 Abhandlung iiber die Gymnotidse des K.K. Hof-Naturaliencabinetes zu Wien im 

 Jahre 1868 habe ich mehrfach Gelegenheit gehabt Exemplare von Sternarchus 

 alhifrons sp. Linne zu untersuchen, darunter viele aus dem See Manacapuru, von 

 Teffe, Obidos (im Museum zu Cambridge, Massach., Thayer-Expedition). Bei 

 den meisten derselben war das Schwanzende verstiimmelt und die caudale regen- 

 erirt." (Flussfische Slid Amer., Ill, 1881, p. 13.) This species which reaches the 

 length of five hundred millimeters, or more, is entirely black save for two bright 

 pink bands around the tail and a band of the same color along the top of the head. 

 Is it that these strikingly colored bands attract other fish and account for the 

 frequent injury of the caudal region? 



A specimen of Sternarchus bonaparti Castelnau, from Santarem, Brazil, had a 

 regenerated caudal very similar to those regenerated by the two individuals of 

 Sternarchorhavi'pkus mulleri. This fish, estimated to be about one hundred and 

 forty millimeters long, representing an inconspicuous brown species, had lost about 

 thirty millimeters of the caudal portion of the body, as well as the entire caudal 

 fin. From near the backbone there had been regenerated a symmetrical, rounded 

 caudal fin, eight and a half millimeters long, and a well-scaled, seemingly normal 

 caudal peduncle some four millimeters in length.- (This caudal peduncle is much 

 shorter than the normal one.) In the angle between the new caudal peduncle and 

 the old anal fin there is a small piece of regenerated anal fin bearing six new anal 

 rays. The new caudal fin is quite normal in shape although distinctly larger than 

 a normal caudal, and perhaps a little rounder. It contains twenty-three rays as 

 compared with twenty in the normal caudal. (See Figure 26.) 



Fig, 



Regenerated Tail. Slernarchus bonaparti Ca.steliiau, Santarem, Brazil. 



Of all the specimens of Sternarchus haseniani Ellis and Sternarchella schotti 

 (Steindachner) examined, thirteen of the former and five of the latter had lost the 

 entire caudal fin together with more or less of the caudal portion of the body. 



