CATFISHES OF THE GENUS CORYDORAS — WEITZMAN 121 



ters, it has a much weaker (and probably shorter) dorsal fin spine than 

 pectoral spine. The pectoral and dorsal fin spines of C. treitlii are 

 about equal in diameter and length, Corydoras fouieri appears closely 

 related to C. semiaquilus but differs in the characteristics noted 

 under the latter species. 



The swollen appearance of the holotj^pe of Corydoras fouieri indicates 

 that the specimen is probably a gravid female. This probabihty was 

 verified by probing between the lower third and fourth lateral scutes 

 of the right side in the upper regions of the coelomic cavity, where 

 a few mature eggs were recovered. Since the holotype and only known 

 specimen of C. jowleri is a female, apparently swollen with ripe eggs, 

 and since males of the genus Corydoras are usually slenderer than 

 their female counterparts, it is quite Hkely that the species C. jowleri 

 has an average body depth much less than that indicated here. Thus, 

 C. fouieri probably differs more from C. semiaquilus and C. treitlii 

 with regard to body depth than the data avilable at present would 

 indicate. 



In summary, Corydoras foioleri is related most closely to C. semi- 

 aquilus but differs from that species in its shorter snout, longer caudal 

 peduncle length, lesser body depth, proportionately smaller eye, 

 and shorter head length. 



Corydoras semiaquilus, new species 



Figures 5 and 6 



Holotype. — ^SU 55939, standard length 60.9 mm., collected during 

 December of 19G0 by Harald Schultz from Igarape Preto, according 

 to Mr, Schultz, "a small jungle-rivulet at the headwaters of the black- 

 water creeks, which empty in the upper Solimoes, State of Amazonas, 

 Brazil. These small and narrow creeks have crj'-stal clear water, 

 sandy bottom, covered with pebbles, leaves and rotten leaves." 



Additional specimens. — USNM 196170, standard length 59.1 mm.; 

 SM 5349 damaged but standard length about 54 mm. Both with 

 the same data as the holotype. 



Diagnosis. — Corydoras semiaquilus may be distinguished from 

 other species of Corydoras by the following combination of characters: 

 It has a long snout (snout length about 32 to 33% of body length 

 without head). Least caudal peduncle depth about 49 to 51% of 

 snout length. Most species of Corydoras, except for the long snouted 

 species, have the least depth of the caudal peduncle and the snout 

 length about equ-al. Imbricated thoracic and abdominal plates pres- 

 ent. Dorsal fin spine considerably weaker and shorter than pectoral 

 fin spine. Predorsal length about 85 to 86% of distance between 

 dorsal fin origin and caudal fin base. Caudal fin heavily barred. 



