CATFISH GENUS NOTURUS RAFINESQUE 97 



TU 1127, 15442; UMMZ 155443, 155449; UMMZ (Walker no. 39-49). BiloxiBay 

 drainage: UMMZ (Walker nos. 39-34, 39-37). Bay Saint Louis drainage: TU 

 18599; UMMZ 163697; UMMZ (Walker no. 39-33). Pearl R. system: TU 72, 

 111, 826, 1730, 1795, 3879, 4870, 5814, 6253, 7223, 7276, 7301, 14162, 15099, 

 15202, 16141, 16729, 16743, 17578, 17658, 17949, 23433, 23610, 23716; CU 11860, 

 16616; AF 1718 (Old Brook, trib. Bogue Chitto R., Lincoln Co.); UMMZ 155371, 

 155382. 



Diagnosis. — Noturus funebris, subgenus Schilbeodes, has 20 to 27, 

 usually 21 or more anal rays; the anal fin separated from the lower 

 procurrent caudal rays by a small notch; the dorsal spine rather 

 slender and usually flexible (except large specimens); the ventral 

 surface, including both the head and abdomen, profusely sprinkled 

 with large discrete chromatophores ; 8 to 11, usually 9 soft pectoral 

 rays; 9 pelvic rays; 11 preoperculomandibular pores; 2 internasal 

 pores; 50 to 58 caudal rays; and an included lower jaw. The body and 

 fins are nearly unicolor, blackish or steel blue. In contrast to Noturus 

 phaeus the pectoral spine serrae are absent or vestigial, irregular, and 

 never strongly developed. 



Description. — Other counts and measurements are given in tables 

 17 to 26. Head rounded above; lower jaw included; body heavy and 

 elongate, not much deeper forward than behind; anal base long; 

 dorsal spine slender, relatively flexible, only stiff in large specimens; 

 dorsal fin usually slightly pointed, the first or second ray longest; 

 adipose fin low, closely united to the procurrent caudal fin; pectoral 

 spine short, stout, straight, without prominent uniformly developed 

 posterior serrae; posterior edge of spine usually only roughened; a 

 few distinct but irregularly developed sharp serrae may be present in 

 young specimens; these become reduced to short blunt knobs or fuse 

 into an irregular roughened mass with age ; end of caudal fin rounded 

 to truncate; posterior corners of premaxillary tooth band slightly 

 rounded; eye small, 2.0 to 2.5 times in snout; posterior process of 

 cleithrum short, definite, about equal in length to the width of the 

 pectoral spine. 



Gill rakers on the first arch five to eight. There are (extremes in 

 parentheses): (18) 19 to 21 (22) upper simple caudal rays; (15) 16 to 18 

 (20) branched caudal rays, of which there are usually 7 in the upper 

 half of the fin and 9 to 11 in the lower half; and (13) 15 to 18 (19) 

 lower simple caudal rays. Of 83 specimens counted, all have 6 soft 

 dorsal rays. 



The stained and cleared specimens have relatively light, poorly 

 ossified bones; particularly noticeable externally is the slender, flexible 

 dorsal spine; vertebrae anterior to anal fin origin 10 (in 2) or 11 (1); 

 pectoral radials fused on six sides; hypurals modally 7, all unfused in 

 27 specimens counted, mostly from x-rays, or fused as follows, num- 



