582 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM vol. 117 



Subgenus Cottogaster Putnam 



P. copelandi (Jordan) is the only Imown species. I have examiaed 

 three large collections (USNM) from June, July, and August, an 

 April collection from Pearl River (TU 17732), and several additional 

 collections taken from February through July (UMMZ), and have 

 found no tubercles. The ovaries and testes of these spechnens are 

 greatly enlarged. Males have melanophores concentrated in the 

 center of each of the membranes of the first dorsal fin; they have much 

 darker pelvic fins and somewhat darker second dorsal and anal fins, 

 belly, and breast, than the females. Males have 5-12 enlarged mid- 

 ventral scales. Winn (1953, 1958b) reported that males were larger 

 and more heavily pigmented than females, had larger anal fins, and 

 lacked breeding tubercles. The genital papilla of the breeding female 

 is elongate and tubelike. P. copelandi spawns over gravel with the 

 male mounted on the female's back (Winn, 1953; 1958b, fig. 4). 



Genus Ammocrypta Jordan 



This genus contains two subgenera: Crystallaria Jordan and 

 Gilbert, with a single species, asprella (Jordan), and Ammocrypta 

 Jordan, with four species, vivax Hay, pi^^^^^'^da (Agassiz), clara 

 (Jordan and Meek), and beanii Jordan. Males of all five species 

 probably will be found to have tubercles on the rays of the anal and 

 pelvic fins, confirming the synonymizing of Crystallaria under Am- 

 mocrypta on the basis of tubercle distribution. 



Figure 4. — Male of Ammocrypta {Crystallaria) asprella showing the distribution of 

 breeding tubercles (USNM 172363, Louisiana, Ouachita River, Jan. 28, 75 mm. SL). 



Tubercles on A. asprella begin to develop by late November (TU 

 1851, Mississippi, Pearl R.), when they are noticeable on the anal 

 spine and the first nine anal soft rays. The maximum development 

 (fig. 4) I have found occurs in the latter half of January (TU 7536, 

 14921, 15174; Mississippi, Pearl R.; USNM 172363, Louisiana, 

 Ouachita R.). Large conical tubercles are developed on the spine 

 and all the anal soft rays except the last 1-3. In these specimens 

 tubercles are present only on the ventral surface of pelvic soft rays 



