294 CnARACINIDJK. 



7. PROCHILODUS. 



Prochilodus, Apass. in Sjnx, Pise, Bras. p. 62. 

 Pacu, Sjiiv, ibid. 



Dorsal fin placed nearly in the middle of the length of the body ; 

 anal rather short ; ventrals below the dorsal. Body more or less 

 oblong, covered with scales of moderate size ; belly rounded in front 

 of the ventrals. Cleft of the moiith transverse, with tliick lips ; eacli 

 lip with a series of minute cihiform moveable teeth ; there is in the 

 middle of the jaw behind each front series another short one, angu- 

 larly bent, the angle pointing backwards. Intestinal tract very long, 

 with many circumvolutions. 



Mud-eating fishes from South America. 



1. Prochilodus humeralis. 

 Gilnth. Proc. Zool. Soc. 1859, p. 419. 



D. 12. A. 11. V. 10. L. lat. 33. L. transv. 5/7. 



The height of the body is nearly one-third of the total length 

 (without caudal), the length of the head nearly one-fourth. The 

 end of the dorsal fin is above the end of the base of the ventral. 

 Back greenish, sides and belly yellowish, each scale with a silvery 

 margin. A black spot behind the shoulder, on the fourth, .fifth, and 

 sixth scales of the lateral lino. No spot on the root of the tail. 

 Dorsal with blackish dots posteriorly, the other fins immaculate. 



Western Andes of Ecuador. 



a-c. Types of the species. From Mr. Eraser's Collection. 



2. Prochilodus vimboides. 



Kner, Denkschr. Wien. Acad. 1859, xvii. p. 148. taf. 2. fig. 4. 

 D. 11. A. 10. V. 9. L. lat. 35-3(3. L. transv. 5/5. 



The height of the body is contained thrice and one-third in the 

 total length (without caudal), the length of the head four times and 

 two-thirds. The end of the dorsal fin is behind the end of the base 

 of the ventral. Coloration uniform ; each dorsal ray with two series 

 of minute dots. i^Kiier.) 



Brazil? 



3. Prochilodus argenteus. 



Curimata, Murcyr. Brusil. p. 15G. 



Prochilodus argenteus, Agass. in Spix, Pise. Bras. p. 03. pi. 38 (bad) ; 



Cuv. ^ Val. xxii. p. 71. 

 ? Prochilodus costatus, Cuv. Sf Val. xxii. p. 79. 



D. 12. A. 10. V. 9. L. lat. 45. L. transv. g-^. 



The height of the body is two-fifths or one-third of the total length 

 (without caudal), the length of the head is contained in it four times 



