31. CYPRINIDJ^ MINNILUS. 185 



just equal. Eye large, 3 in head, about equal to snout and to interorbital 

 space. Scales with the exposed surfaces very narrow. Lateral line 

 much decurved ; IG large scales before dorsal. Dorsal fin inserted en- 

 tirely behind the ventrals, greatly elevated, its longest ray a little longer 

 than head ; anal fin also very high and very long, extending almost to 

 base of caudal; these fins somewhat lower in the females. Color sil- 

 very; the dorsal blotch conspicuous; a distinct black caudal spot, 

 smaller than eye and deeper than long ; sides with a silvery band which 

 passes around the nose, below this a dusky band. Breeding colors un- 

 known. Head 4^ ; depth 4. D. 8 ; A. 11 ; scales C-35-3 ; teeth 1, 4-4, 1. 

 L. 2i inches. Southern Georgia and Alabama. 



{Alburnus fonnosus Putnam, Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool. i, 9, 1863 (uot Moniatia formosa 

 Grd.): Leuciscus hi/pselopterus GiintheT, vii, 255: Phoiogenis grandijaumis Jordan, Bull. 

 U. S. Nat. Mus. X, 62, 1877.) 



85.— MINNILUS Eafinesque. 



Shiners. 



{?? Xotro2)is 'Ra^nesqae, 1818; Minnilus, Luxilu8,Sini\ Plargyrus'Rsb&iiesque; Hypsilepie 

 Baird; Alburnellus aud Alburnops Girard; Lythrurus aud Hydropldox Jordan.) 



(Rafinesque, Iclith. Oh. 1820, 47: type Minnilus d'memtis 'Rdii.) 



Body oblong or elongate, more or less compressed. Mouth normal, 

 mostly terminal and oblique. iTo barbels. Teeth 2, 4-4, 2, sharp- 

 edged or with a narrow grinding surface. Scales usually large, often 

 closely imbricated. Lateral line complete, usually decurved. Dorsal 

 fin inserted above, or more usually behind, the ventrals; anal fin short 

 or somewhat elongate. Abdomen rounded. Coloration often brilliant, 

 the males in spring usually with red fins and the head with small tu- 

 bercles. A very large group of small fishes, especially characteristic of 

 the fresh waters of the Eastern United States. Yarious attempts have 

 been made to divide this group into natural genera, but the gradation 

 from one type to another is very perfect. (English minnoiv ; French 

 menuise ; from Latin minus, small.) 



This group may be subdivided as follows : 



$ Anal fin sliort, its rays 7-9 (sometimes 10 in M. zonistiun). 

 * Scales large, 35-50 in the lateral line. 



t Teeth with the grinding surface more or less developed. 

 X Species attaining a large size, with the scales along the flanks nearly twice as 

 deej) as long, and so closely imbricated that the exposed sur- 

 faces are very narrow ; back tdevated aud convex in the adult ; 

 lower jaw included; dorsal lin over ventrals (Luxilus l?af.). 



coniiitus, aclene. 

 U Species of moderate size, Avith the scales short and deep, but less closely im- 

 bricated than in the preceding; body elongate, not much ele- 

 vated ; mouth large, oljliciue, tlie lower jaw projecting; dor- 

 sal tin inserted behind ventrals coccogenis, conistius. 



