98 U.S. NATIONAL MUSEUM BULLETIN 282 



bers 2-3 (in 8), 4-5 (1), both 2-3 and 4-5 (2), and both 2-3 and 6-7 (1). 

 This species reaches at least 119 mm. in standard length. 



The general background color is dark brownish black or blue-black, 

 usually a gun metal blue color. The upper surface, barbels, fins, and 

 side are darkly pigmented. The ventral surface is somewhat lighter, 

 but sprinkled with large chromatophores. These may become diffused 

 with age, so that the midline of the abdomen appears to be immaculate. 

 The fins are all heavily pigmented, but sometimes edged with white or 

 cream color. A band of black pigment often crosses the outer ends of 

 the rays of both the dorsal and anal fins and may outline the posterior 

 margin of the caudal fin. 



Type. — The lectotype of Noturm funebris (USNM 36696) herein 

 selected shows evidence of having been dried at one time, but is the 

 best of the three specimens that I found in USNM 36696. It is a 

 female, 77.3 mm. in standard length or 95.5 mm. in total length. There 

 are 6+17 = 23 anal rays, 21 + 7 (+28) =56 caudal rays, 6 soft dorsal 

 rays, and 28 rays in both the upper half and the lower half of the 

 caudal fin. On each side there are 9 pelvic rays, 10 soft pectoral rays, 

 6 gill rakers on the first arch, 2 internasal pores, 11 preoperculo- 

 mandibular pores, and at least 10 branchiostegal rays. The posterior 

 edges of the pectoral spines have a few irregular, very short, blunt, 

 knob-like serrae or roughenings. The head length is stepped into the 

 standard length 3.85 times. The barbels are moderately long; the 

 dorsal spine is short but slender. 



Variation. — N. funebris shows rather strong west to east gradients 

 in number of anal rays and vertebrae (tables 6 and 8). On the basis of 

 these structures two populations may be recognizable. Specimens from 

 west of the Alabama system seem to have modal numbers of 35 or 36 

 vertebrae and usually 21 to 23 anal rays. Specimens from east of the 

 Alabama system, chiefly western Florida, appear to have a modal 

 number of 37 vertebrae and 23 to 27 anal rays. 



The pore and paired fin ray counts show very strong modes with only 

 occasional random variations within a sample. The variation in 

 pectoral rays is given in table 8. The counts of pelvic rays, based on 

 the same specimens, vary as follows: Pearl River 7 to 10, mean 8.94 

 Wolf River 9 to 10, mean 9.05; Blackwater River 9 to 10, mean 9.22 

 Yellow River 9 to 10, mean 9.20; Econfina Creek 9 to 10, mean 9.33 

 no variation from 9 rays is indicated in the counts from all other 

 river systems. 



Based on the relatively few specimens counted, no significant 

 geographic variation in caudal rays is evident. 



Distribution. — Noturus funebris (map 6), a small stream or creek 

 species, is confined to eastern Gulf of Mexico tributaries. It ranges 

 from the Pearl River system of Mississippi and Louisiana eastward 



