PROCEEDINGS 



WASHINGTON ACADEMY OF SCIENCES 



Vol. VII, pp. 157-1S6. [Plates vii-xi.] June 30, 190^ 



THE GYMNOTID^. 

 By Carl H. Eigenmann and David Perkins Ward. 



CONTENTS. 



lutroduction 159 



Key to the Genera of Gjmnotidce 160 



Genera and Species 161 



Table showing known Geographical Distribution 179 



Explanation of Plates iSo 



The Gymnotidae are a family of fishes entirely confined to 

 the fresh waters of tropical America. At least 4 species [Ster- 

 narchus brasiliensis, Rhamj^hichthys marmoratus, Eigenmannia 

 virescens and Giton fasciattis) range as far south as the Rio de 

 la Plata, the second having been taken at Rio Grande do Sul 

 but not yet in the La Plata. The last three species range from 

 the Orinoco south through the Amazon basin and the Paraguay 

 basin ; no species is represented in the coast-wise streams be- 

 tween Bahia and Rio Grande do Sul ; and but one, Giton fas- 

 ciattis, reaches Bahia. Four, Sternarc/ncs brasiliensis, Eigen- 

 mannia virescens, Giton fas ciatus and Gymnotus carapus have 

 been found in the Rio San Francisco. But 2 species have 

 representatives on the Pacific slope, Eigenmannia hiimboldti, 

 which is found in the Magdalena basin and in the Mamoni, a 

 stream emptying into the Pacific in Panama, and Gyuinotiis 

 ceqiiilabiatiLS , which is found in the Magdalena basin and about 

 Guayaquil. North of Panama only a single species, Giton 

 fasciatits, has been found. It has been recorded by Giinther 

 from the Rio Motagua. The same species is also found in the 

 island of Trinidad and the islands of Grenada. 



Proc. Wash. Acad. Sci., June, 1905. (159) 



