NO. 3538 CHARACID FISHES — WEITZMAN 35 



brown with few scattered melanophores. Tertiary horizontal stripe 

 extending along sides of belly through sixth lateral scale row and across 

 head over preopercle and third orbital bone to angle of jaw. Some- 

 times this stripe reduced in region of pectoral fins. Pectoral fin 

 translucent; pelvic fin same except for thin fine of melanophores along 

 anterior 2 rays in some specimens. Dorsal fin dusky at its anterior 

 base, its first two unbranched rays dark. Almost entke lower half 

 of anal fin dark brown to black; its distal edge and upper edges also 

 dark. 



Color in life. — The color of aquarium specimens which are from 

 an unknown locality, but which agree with Eigenmann's (1909, p. 42) 

 brief color description of his material from British Guiana, is as 

 follows: Midanterior region of dorsal fin with one red spot, ventral 

 region of anal fin red; medial half of pelvic fins red. Color photo in 

 Axelrod and Schultz (1955, p. 241) shows position of this red pigment 

 well. A short red stripe along midupper border of primary horizontal 

 stripe (which is black in life) ; half of this stripe on primary horizontal 

 stripe and half on pale golden stripe above black horizontal stripe. 

 This red stripe extending from about sixth to ninth vertical scale 

 rows. A few streaks of white pigment at posterior end of pale gold 

 band above primary horizontal stripe. This white pigment mostly 

 confined to caudal fin rays between wedges of primary and secondary 

 horizontal stripes. Lateral surface of the snout pale gold. Iris pale 

 gold where melanin absent. Belly and region below primary hori- 

 zontal stripe silvery white. Distal anterior parts of pelvics white. 



Aquarium specimens which agree well with specimens recorded 

 below from the lower Amazon have the following color: Red of fins 

 almost absent except on dorsal fin. Red stripe on side of body absent. 

 Secondary and tertiary horizontal stripes somewhat broader and more 

 sharply delineated. Stripe above primary horizontal stripe not as 

 golden as in presumed British Guiana specimens. Belly and area 

 below primary horizontal stripe brownish white. White spot on 

 caudal fin between wedges of primary and secondary horizontal 

 stripes more intense. 



Living specimens collected by White, Reynolds, and Wulff (see list 

 of specimens below) from Colombia near Tres Esquinas have the 

 following color : Proximal two-thirds and often en the length of fourth 

 to sixth dorsal fin rays bright orange red. First 3 dorsal rays black, 

 seventh to tenth rays and adjoining tissue hyaline. Middle rays of 

 caudal fin red between dark caudal wedges (this region occupied by 

 intense white in living specimens presumably from lower Amazon). 

 Pelvic fins red except for anterior black border. Anal fin from its 

 middle and posterior base out to one-third or three-quarters of its 

 distal surface varying from sUvery to golden yellow. Anterior base 



