CATFISH GENUS NOTURUS RAFINESQUE 107 



The large specimen from the Mayo River is similar in color to 

 Roanoke and James specimens but a large, dusky brownish blotch, not 

 prominent, occupies the middle half of the anal fin from the base 

 almost to the margin. The base of the dorsal fin is dark brown, as in 

 other specimens, but a band of the same color extends along the first 

 two rays almost to the margin, thence backward across the third and 

 fourth rays. 



Type. — Jordan and Everraann {in Jordan, 1889, p. 352, pi. 43, 

 figs. 2-2b) figured Noturus gilberti and listed USNM 39931 as the type. 

 Jordan and Evermann (1900, p. 3236, pi. 28, figs. 67-67b) published 

 the same figures and were the first to indicate that they were "from" 

 the type, USNM 39931, essentially designating a lectotype. The 

 original drawings, bearing this catalog number, indicate that a speci- 

 men 3.5 inches long from Roanoke River, Salem, Virginia was drawn. 



When examined by me, USNM 39931 contained four specimens, 

 three of A^^. gilberti and one of Noturus insignis. The catalog book and 

 original records indicate that four specimens were originally included. 

 It is not now possible to be certain which specimen of Noturus gilberti 

 was drawn, but the largest one, slightly less than 3.5 inches in total 

 length, is selected as the lectotype, retaining USNM 39931. It is in 

 good condition, but slightly brownish, perhaps due to becoming dry 

 during the rendering of the illustrations. The other specimens, origi- 

 nally in this collection, showed no sign of having been dried. 



The lectotype is a female, 73.0 mm. in standard length. It has 15 

 anal rays, 17+6+9+17=49 caudal rays, 37 vertebrae, and 6 soft 

 dorsal rays; on each side there are 9 pelvic rays, 9 soft pectoral rays, 

 10 preoperculomandibular pores, and 2 internasal pores. The pectoral 

 spines are very short and broad. The head length is stepped into the 

 standard length 4.3 times and the distance from the adipose notch 

 to the tip of the caudal fin is contained 1.8 times in the distance from 

 the origin of the dorsal fin to the adipose notch. 



One specunen MNHN 89-312 and one BMNH 89.10.30.89, both 

 collected by David Starr Jordan from Roanoke River, Roanoke, 

 Virginia, are not listed as paratypes. Although they were evidently 

 collected with the paratype series, USNM 40219, they apparently 

 were separated from the original series and not studied by Jordan 

 and Evermann (see comments under Noturus furiosus, p. 187). 



Variation. — Specimens from the James and Roanoke River 

 systems are similar. Counts from Roanoke River specimens broadly 

 overlap those from the five James River specimens and the one from 

 the Mayo River, except three from the James have 54 caudal rays 

 whereas the highest number obtained from Roanoke specimens is 53. 



Distribution. — A^. gilberti (map 7) is confined to Virginia. Since 

 the original description, it has been thought to be restricted to head- 



298-943 O— €9 8 



