NO. 3538 CHARACID FISHES — WEITZMAN 49 



primary horizontal stripe extending dorsally to cover lower half of 

 third scale row. On caudal peduncle primary horizontal stripe 

 extending ventrally to cover entire lower half of caudal peduncle 

 and then posteriorly to include entire lower lobe of caudal fin. On 

 fifth row of scales primary horizontal stripe frequently confined to 

 center of each scale, producing spotted appearance. In some speci- 

 mens this shows well, in others pigment expanded and covering entu-e 

 fifth row of scales, making primary horizontal stripe appear solid. 

 Above primary horizontal stripe a broad pale-yellowish stripe covering 

 lower two-thirds of horizontal scale row. This stripe beginning on 

 snout above primary horizontal stripe and extending posteriorly 

 through caudal peduncle to caudal fin. Weak scattering of melano- 

 phores over this band. Region of posterior part of sixth to posterior 

 edge of eighth vertical scale rows with a dense aggregation of melano- 

 phores extending from middle of first to middle of sixth horizontal 

 scale rows. These are oblique bands, and they appear faintly to 

 strongly in all preserved specimens examined. A dense aggrega- 

 tion of melanophores occurs over anal fin. Entire dorsum light 

 brown and secondary horizontal stripe consists of dense aggregation 

 of melanophores through center of each scale in second horizontal 

 scale row. Fourth narrow horizontal stripe extending through first 

 horizontal scale row. Third horizontal stripe present as a series of 

 dark spots along sixth horizontal scale row, each dot being in center 

 of scale. Belly and upper parts of head clear yellowish white. In 

 some specimens third horizontal stripe present on head as a thin 

 dark stripe on third infraorbital bone. Adipose fin, when present, 

 frequently black. Dorsal, pectoral, and pelvic fins hyahne. Anal 

 fin ahnost entirely black except for clear area in its midbasal region. 

 Second undivided ray also hyaline. 



Color in life. — Aquarium specimens from an unkno%\Ti locality 

 had the following color pattern: Pectoral, dorsal, and upper lobe of 

 caudal fins hyaline. Anal fin dark bro\\-n or black except for clear 

 area mentioned above; this area bright orange red. Large second ray 

 of anal fin silvery blue for about one-third its proximal length. Pelvic 

 fins hyaline except for small amount of silvery blue pigment along 

 large second fin ray. Lower lobe of caudal fin dark brown or black, 

 variously and sparsely mottled with pale gold or orange. Some 

 specimens with slight suggestion of an ocellus as in specimens of 

 unifasciatus from British Guiana. Bright pale-gold blotch in region 

 of caudal fin between two caudal lobes. Bright silvery stripe extend- 

 ing from snout tip to caudal peduncle above primary horizontal 

 stripe. Dorsum light to medium brown except where covered by 

 darker stripes described above. Pale orange or yeUow metallic spot 

 in region of nares. Belly and throat white. 



