CATFISH GENUS NOTURUS RAFINESQUE 181 



pores. It has a relatively short chunky body, a slender caudal peduncle, 

 and proportionately large spines and head. No other species of Rabida 

 has the entire abdomen and the base of the pelvic fins sprinkled with 

 brownish chromatophores. As in others of the Juriosus group, the 

 posterior process of the cleithrum (humeral process) is long, and a 

 lunate midcaudal bar is present, but the dark blotch of the short and 

 high adipose fin extends to its margin or virtually so. 



Description. — Other counts and measurements are given in 

 tables 17 to 26. Body short and heavy, deepest below or before dorsal 

 fin; caudal peduncle relatively narrow, somewhat constricted below 

 posterior part of adipose fin; head moderately depressed; lower jaw 

 included; eye large, 1.6 to 2.4 times in snout; premaxillary tooth 

 patch with posterior corners rounded or obtusely angulate; posterior 

 process of cleithrum longer than diameter of pectoral spine including 

 its serrae; pectoral spine very long and curved backward; anterior 

 dentations of spine prominent and numerous; posterior serrae about 

 as in other species of Rabida, relatively few in number, well developed, 

 and with the tips recurved; dorsal spine long and stiff; adipose fin 

 short, but high, with upper margin convex and forming a free posterior 

 flap, poorly connected to the short procurrent caudal rays; caudal 

 fin truncate behind ; gill rakers on first arch five to seven. The largest 

 specimen examined is 78 mm. in standard length. 



In 132 specimens, there are (extremes in parentheses): (16) 17 to 

 18 (20), mean 17.7 upper simple caudal rays; (13) 15 (16), mean 15.1 

 branched caudal rays, of these, 6 or usually 7, mean 6.8 are upper 

 branched caudal rays and (7) 8 (9), mean 8.3 are lower branched 

 caudal rays; (13) 14 to 16 (17), mean 14.8 are lower simple caudal 

 rays. The soft dorsal rays are 5 in 9 and 6 in 138 counts. There are 

 4 to 8 (mean 6.5) serrae on the posterior edge of the pectoral spine in 

 specimens 22 to 46 mm. in standard length. 



Aside from the count of eight left and nine right branchiostegal 

 rays given in the original description, the counts on two other speci- 

 mens that were cleared and stained are nine on both sides. In the two 

 cleared specimens, there are twelve preanal vertebrae and the pectoral 

 radials are solidly fused on three sides. On one side the ends of the 

 radials are united, but a very narrow medial separation exists. 



Bod}^ heavily mottled with dark brown; side well pigmented, 

 light to medium brown; head dark brown above; a dark bar across the 

 back of the head extends through the operculum and branchiostegal 

 membrane to lower surface of the head; another band passes backward 

 from the snout through the eye to the posterior cephalic band on 

 the operculum; postorbital area light; cheek lightly pigmented; 

 upper barbels heavily pigmented; lower barbels, lower lip, and 

 side of lower surface of head with scattered pigment; midline of 



