NO. 3538 CHARACID FISHES — WEITZMAN 45 



as sho-wn in figure 11. Upper lobe dusky near its basal, lower portion, 

 and this dusky region Avith dark spot (ocellus) with a translucent area 

 around it. Secondary horizontal stripe appearing absent and entire 

 back light brown. Belly bright silvery with a dark spot in front of 

 vent and a very small dark spot in front of pelvic fin base. Head below 

 primary horizontal stripe bright silver. Pectoral, dorsal, and anal 

 fins translucent. Anal fin with single dark spot in its basal and central 

 regions. Preserved specimens from Brazil and Venezuela not differing 

 in color except in caudal fin. Specimens from these areas lack an 

 ocellus, except one from Venezuela with an imperfect ocellus. Also 

 markings on lower lobe of caudal fin somewhat different. These well 

 shown in figure accompanying Steindachner's original description. 

 Preserved specimens from Igarape do Mai Joana at Mandos, wdth 

 primary horizontal stripe extending onto caudal fin as a narrow wedge, 

 and distal region of caudal fin dusky to dark (see upper right insert in 

 fig. 11). Steindachner's figure shows primary horizontal stripe ex- 

 tending onto caudal fin as slightly widening band. However, all 

 specimens that I have examined from Brazil and Venezuela with a 

 caudal fin color pattern about as that showm in the upper right insert 

 in figure 11. 



Color in life. — Aquarium specimens from an unknowm locality 

 (but agreeing well with color of preserved specimens from British 

 Guiana) had the following color pattern: Dorsal and pectoral fins 

 hyaline; pelvic fin also hyaline except for second and longest ray, 

 which is silvery blue on distal one-third to one-half of its length. 

 Anal fin hyaline except for central black blotch and silvery w^hite distal 

 tips of foiu-th to seventh rays. Caudal fin variously colored, the upper 

 lobe hyaline; area dorsal to black ocellus white, and below it creamy 

 yellow^ to rich orange. Nonmelanistic areas on the lower caudal fin 

 lobe creamy white to yellow suffused with varying shades of orange. 

 Belly and throat regions white. Area below primary horizontal stripe 

 white. Silvery wiiite stripe especially distinct behind dorsal fin above 

 black primary horizontal stripe. Above silvery stripe, dorsum and 

 top of head light to medium brow^n. Bright metallic-orange spot near 

 the anterior narial opening. 



Remarks. — Poecilobrycon unijasciatus was known previously only 

 from the mouth of the Rio Negro and Teffe and (imder the name 

 Poecilobrycon ocellatus) from British Guiana. The records listed 

 below considerably enlarge its known range up the Rio Negro to the 

 headw^aters of the Rio Orinoco in Venezuela. Hoedeman (1950) 

 apparently did not have specimens of the true unifasciatus, or if he 

 did, he confused them with P. egues. Hoedeman stated that some of 

 the young from parents with the typical color pattern of eques look 



