206 U.S. NATIONAL MUSEUM BULLETIN 2 82 



Henley; CU 32936 (1), July 4, 1957, Knapp and M. Bowman. James R., sec. 30, 

 T. 29 N., R. 20 W., Greene Co., KU 3378 (1), 1954, Perry Robinson. Current R., 

 Hwy. 106, Owls Bend, Shannon Co., KU 5624 (3), June 6, 1960, D. A. Distler 

 and A. L. Metcalf; KU 7682 (1), April 8, 1963, F. B. Cross and M. L. Wiley. 

 Oklahoma [in error]: Sallisaw R., Indian Territory, USNM 73592 (1), S. E. Meek. 



Diagnosis. — Noturus (Rabida) flavater of the miurus species group 

 has 51 to 60 caudal rays; 14 to 17 anal rays; and typically 2 internasal 

 pores, 11 preoperculomandibular pores, 8 soft pectoral rays, and 9 

 pelvic rays. It is the only species in the genus Noturus having both a 

 broad, black vertical bar at the base of the caudal fin and a large black 

 blotch on the outer one-third of the dorsal fin; a broad, black bar 

 extends to the margin of the adipose fin. The spines, their serrae, and 

 the posterior process of the cleithrum are long. 



It differs from species other than of the furiosus group in having 

 both a relatively free posterior end of the adipose fin and more than 51 

 caudal rays; from the furiosus group by the extension of the black bar 

 at the middle of the adipose to its margin (N. munitus has a blotch 

 extending to the margin, but usually has fewer caudal rays), the 

 absence of the prominent midcaudal crescent, and other features of 

 pigmentation. The two internasal pores distinguish it from miurus; 

 the broad, dark blotches, the relatively free posterior margin of the 

 adipose fin, and the larger size distinguish it from both flavipinnis 

 and miurus. 



Description. — Other counts and measurements are given in tables 

 17 to 26. Body moderately short and chunky, deepest in front of dorsal 

 fin; caudal peduncle relatively deep; head rounded, arched, only 

 slightly depressed in front of eyes; lower jaw included; posterior corners 

 of premaxillary tooth patch obtuse or angulate; eye moderately large, 

 1.6 to 2.5 in snout; humeral process long, as long as or longer than 

 width of pectoral spine and its serrae; pectoral spine (pi. 4, fig. 15) 

 long, curved, deeply grooved near its tip, with prominent, long anterior 

 serrae which turn outward distally and inward near the base, and with 

 several large uniformly recurved posterior serrae; dorsal spine stout; 

 adipose fin high, with a free posterior flap, virtually free from the short 

 procurrent caudal rays; caudal fin almost truncate, usually rounded 

 behind; gill rakers on first arch six to ten. The largest specimen is 

 114 mm. in standard length; several are over 100 mm. 



In one cleared and stained specimen there are 13 vertebrae anterior 

 to the origin of the anal fin. One set of pectoral actinosts is tightly 

 fused; the other lacks fusion at the middle but the ends are united. 



Soft dorsal rays in 41 specimens constantly 6; pectoral spine serrae, 

 in specimens both over and under 100 mm. in standard length, 6 to 13, 

 mean 10.0; upper simple caudal rays 19 to 24, mean 21.5; branched 

 caudal rays 16 to 20, mean 17.9; usually 8, infrequently 7, upper 



