CATFISH GENUS NOTURUS RAFINESQUE 55 



Paratypes. — Arkansas: TU 7074 (1 specimen) and TU 7077 

 (2), South Fork Saline R., 3 mi. SE. U.S. Hwy. 70 or 7.7 mi. SSW. 

 Owensville, Garland Co., Aug. 7, 1953, E. Liner. USNM 165901 (5) 

 and UMMZ 187095 (2), trib. of Saline R. [presumably Salt Cr., sec. 

 34, T. 1 S., R. 15 W.], just off U.S. Hwy. 70, about 1 mi. NW. Benton, 

 Saline Co., Apr. 22, 1952, E. A. Lachner, F. J. Schwartz, and W. T. 

 Leapley. 



Diagnosis. — Noturus lachneri is one of the three species of the 

 subgenus Schilbeodes that are characterized by a terminal mouth, 

 subterminal lower jaw, and ten preoperculomandibular pores. It is 

 distinguished from Noturus gyrinus by the single internasal pore and 

 a short head which is projected 3.7 to 4.2 times in the standard 

 length. A^. gyrinus seldom has more than 36 vertebrae or 17 anal 

 rays but lachneri has 37 or 38 vertebrae and 16 to 19 anal rays. From 

 the other species, Noturus exilis, N. lachneri is distinguished by lack of 

 serrations of the pectoral spine, more caudal rays, and typically 

 eight rather than nine pectoral rays. 



Description. — Other counts and measurements are given in 

 tables 17 to 26. Body moderately elongate, about as deep posteriorly 

 as anteriorly; head relatively flattened above, somewhat depressed; 

 jaws about equal, mouth terminal; premaxillary teeth in a transverse 

 band which is about 3.5 times as wide as long, its posterior corners 

 rounded; dorsal spine stout, about half length of longest dorsal ray; 

 pectoral spine nearly straight to very slightly curved, with moderate 

 grooves, devoid of serrae anteriorly and posteriorly; adipose fin 

 relatively short and of moderate height, without a free posterior 

 flap, broadly connected to the procurrent caudal fin; a very shallow 

 indentation at the junction of the two fins; procurrent caudal rays of 

 moderate length, the posterior fin margin broadly rounded; eye small, 

 2.3 to 2.9 in snout; gUl rakers on first arch seven to nine; posterior 

 process of cleithrum (humeral process) nearly straight, slightly shorter 

 than diameter of pectoral spine. The largest specimen, a male, is 

 69.5 mm. in standard length. 



All of the specimens have six soft dorsal rays. In the caudal fin, 

 eight of the specimens have eight branched rays in the upper lobe, 

 a count similar to that of Noturus exilis; these same specimens have 

 23 to 25 upper simple rays; the other specimens have 13, 20, and 22 

 rays with slight to deep branching in the upper lobe, and 18, 12, and 

 9, respectively, upper simple rays, a condition suggestive of the ex- 

 cessive branching in Noturus gyrinus. In the lower lobe there are 11 

 to 14, mean 12.6 branched rays and 11 to 15, mean 13.6, simple rays. 



In a specimen cleared and stained there is one epural ; twelve verte- 

 brae are anterior to the anal fin origin ; hypurals 1-3 (those supporting 



