CATFISH GENUS NOTURUS RAFINESQUE 157 



Noturus trautmani differs from Noturus elegans in having fewer 

 vertebrae (32 to 34) and a shorter anal fin (13 to 16, modally 14 rays) ; 

 the relatively high adipose fin lacks a blotch or bar; the anterior 

 serrae of the pectoral spine are very short to obscure and the posterior 

 process of the cleithrum is absent or very poorly developed. The 

 body and head are relatively uniformly grayish brown on upper and 

 lateral surfaces, lacking prominent saddles or blotches; large brownish 

 chromatophores are scattered over the cheek and operculum. 



Description. — The 17 specimens, although collected over a period 

 of 14 years, are very similar in their morphology. Counts and measure- 

 ments are given in tables 17 to 26. Head rounded, slightly flattened 

 above; lower jaw included; eye large, 1.4 to 1.8 times in snout; barbels 

 short and thickish; posterior process of cleithrum short or obscure; 

 pectoral spine rather short, nearly straight, with distinct, recurved 

 posterior serrae, but \vith very small or obscure anterior serrae; 

 dorsal spine stout; dorsal rays about equal in length, the posterior 

 rays when depressed extending far backward of the anterior rays; 

 adipose fin high, widely connected to the caudal fin, and without a 

 posterior free margin; caudal fin rounded or nearly truncate poster- 

 iorly, the middle rays shghtly the longest; caudal peduncle about as 

 deep as head; posterior corners of premaxillary tooth band slightly 

 rounded. 



The caudal fins have 17 to 20, mean 18.44 upper simple rays; 

 14 to 18, mean 16.06 branched rays, of which 7 (in 15) or 8 (1) are 

 in the upper half of the fin, and 7 to 11, usually 9, mean 9.00 

 are in the lower half; and 12 to 16, usually 14 or 15, mean 14.47 

 lower simple rays. All specimens have six soft dorsal rays. The pectoral 

 spines have five to seven posterior serrae, and there are five or six 

 gill rakers on the first arch. The specimens range in standard length 

 from 23.2 to 44.1 mm. 



In a small specimen, 27 mm. in standard length, that was cleared 

 and stained, the ossified pectoral radials are separate on the right side; 

 on the left side the ends are fused. The six hypurals are separate distally 

 and there are twelve vertebrae anterior to the first pterygiophore of 

 the anal fin. 



In preserved specimens, caudal fin dusky (a triangular dusky area 

 on the branched rays in small specimens), with a slight suggestion of 

 concentric rings or bars that lie parallel to the margin and that may 

 pass through the end of the caudal peduncle; anal fin yellowish, some 

 rays with a few chromatophores distally; adipose fin yellow, sometimes 

 with a few brownish chromatophores near base; pelvic fins mostly 

 yellowish but with some scattered pigment; pectoral spines covered 

 with dense brown pigment; pectoral rays usually heavily dusted with 

 brown except at tips; mental barbels and lower surface of head im- 



