194 



STLURID.E. 



75. AUCHENIPTERUS*. 



Aucheniptenis, Cuv. ^- Vul. xv. p. 207. 



Pseiidauchenipterus, Trachycorystes, Parauchenipterus, Aucheiii- 

 ptericlithys, Bkek. Nedert. Tydschr. Dierh. 1863, p. 88. 



Adipose fin very short ; dorsal fin short, with a pungent spine and 

 with five or six soft rays ; anal fin long. Barbels six, cylindrical, 

 those of the mandible being inserted at some distance from the sym- 

 physis, there being an anterior and a posterior pair. Teeth villiform 

 in bands, or sometimes rudimentary and deciduous ; palate eden- 

 tulous. Eyes above the level of the angle of the mouth. The gill- 

 opening does not extend downwards beyond the root of the pectoral . 

 Ventrals with from six to ten rays, inserted behind the dorsal. 



Tropical America. 



1. Auchenipterus nodosus. 



Silurus uodosus, Bl. taf. 3C8. fig. 1; Bl. Schn. p. 383. 

 Arius nodosus, Cuv. 8,- Val. xv. p. 70. 

 Auchenipterus furcatus, Cuv. S,- Val. xv. p. 211. 



nodosus, Midi. Sj- Trosch. Hor. IcJith. iii. p. 11; Kner, Sitzgsber. 



Wien. Acad. 1858, xxvi. p. 424. 



B. 6. D. ^ A. 20-23. P. 1/7. V. 8. Vert. 8/29. 



The bones of the head and neck cellular, those above the eye 

 swollen and rather prominent. The groove between the frontal 

 bones is open in front. The humeral process does not extend back- 

 wards to the middle of the pectoral spine. Dorsal and pectoral spines 

 very long, much longer than the head, not serrated along their outer 

 margin ; the former Avith a large swelling at its base. Caudal fin 

 deeply forked. 



Guiana. 



a-c. Fine specimens. British Guiana. Purchased of Mr. Leadbeater. 



d, e-f. Half-grown. Dutch Guiana. 



g. Adult. French Guiana. 



h, i-k, I. Adult, half-grown, and young. Demerara. Purchased of 



Mr. Scrivener. 

 m-o. Adult : stuffed. Demerara. Piu'chased of Mr. Scrivener. 

 p. Adult: skeleton. British Guiana. Purchased of Mr. Leadbeater. 



Dr. V. Blocker gives a generic name to this species {Pseudaucheni- 

 ptenis), adding " cirri inframaxillares omnes rictui appi'oximati ; " I 

 find an anterior and a posterior pair of barbels, as in its congeners. 



9'' 

 2. Auchenipterus thoracicus. 



Auchenipterus tlioracatus, Kner, Sitzqsber. Wien. Acad. 1858, xxvi. 

 p. 425. fig. 22. 



D. 1/5. A. 26-27. P. 1/8. V. 9. 



The bones of the head and neck are finely granulated ; nuchal 



plates tectiform ; an oblong granulated plate on each side of the belly 



* I. Arius onrina, Schomh.FisJi.B>yy.G?/i(!».i.p.nP<.Y>\.-i. — British Guiana. 





