188 U.S. NATIONAL MUSEUM BULLETIN 2 82^ 



(33-36) 34.68; anal rays: 28 (14-17) 15.11, 85 (14-17) 15.42, 113 (14- 

 17) 15.35; upper-half caudal rays: 28 (27-32) 29.61, 84 (27-33) 29.39, 

 112 (27-33) 29.45; lower-half caudal rays: 28 (25-28) 26.68, 84 (23- 

 28) 25.82, 112 (23-28) 26.04; total caudal rays: 28 (53-60) 56.29, 84 

 (51-59) 55.21, 112 (51-60) 55.48. 



Etymology. — The name juriosus (from Latin, jurios) meaning 

 furious, raging, or to drive mad, was proposed in allusion to the long, 

 strongly serrated pectoral spines. 



Relationships. — The body shape, the color pattern, especially the 

 two caudal crescents, and the relatively free posterior margin of the 

 adipose fin indicate that the species is related to the three other species 

 included in the Juriosus species group. 



Ecology. — Noturus juriosus seems to occupy a variety of habitats. 

 As judged from the old collections it would appear that it is confined 

 to the area at and just below the Fall Line in North Carolina. A few 

 specimens from the Neuse River system, however, suggest that there 

 may be slight penetration onto the Piedmont. Specimens collected by 

 me were all from clear or relatively clear water in large creeks and 

 small rivers. The largest individuals were collected on a rather swift 

 riflBe in shaded water about three feet deep over a bottom of gravel, 

 large rocks, and rubble near the Fall Line. The species appears to be 

 most abundant, however, on the Coastal Plain where it is frequently 

 found in very shallow water with little or no current, over a fine to 

 coarse sand bottom with little gravel. Here it was observed to be hid- 

 ing in bright sunlight beneath mussel shells and debris, the head pro- 

 jecting from the hiding place just enough to permit observations of the 

 surroundings. It has been taken in collections with Noturus gyrinus 

 and Noturus insignis. 



The MiuRUS Group 



The miurus group contains three apparently allopatric representa- 

 tives known as Noturus miurus, Noturus flampinnis, and Noturus jlava- 

 ter. They are characterized by a long, strong, well-serrated pectoral 

 spine; a long humeral process and dorsal spine; a dark band or blotch 

 which extends to the margin of the adipose fin; a many rayed caudal 

 fin; and the absence of a prominent midcaudal concentration of pig- 

 ment. 



Origin of the group probably was in the Mississippi drainage, per- 

 haps its central portion, as each of the species are found there today 

 (map 14). Only one, A^. miurus, has entered other river systems, un- 

 doubtedly as a crossover from the Mississippi River drainage. The 

 other two are known only from the uplands of the central portion of 

 the Mississippi Valley, A^. flavipinnis from the upper Tennessee River 

 system and N. flavater from the Ozarks of Missouri and Arkansas. N. 



