338 CONTRIBUTIONS TO NORTH AMERICAN ICHTHYOLOGY IV. 



1.59.— SYGOME€TE§ Agassiz. 

 Top Minnows. 



(Micristma Gill.) 

 (Agassiz, Ara. Journ. Sci. Arts, 1354, 133: type Pcec'ilia oUoacea Storer.) 



This genus is closely related to Fundulus, differiug chiefly in the small 

 size and posterior j)osition of the dorsal, which has usually less than 

 ten rays and is commonly inserted behind the front of the anal fin. 

 The species are smaller in size than those of Fundulus^ and different in 

 appearance, so that we feel reluctant to unite the two genera, although 

 the technical differences are very slight. From the Old World genus 

 HaplocJdhiSy Zygonectes is distinguished by the short anal fin. The fe- 

 males of Zygonectes are scarcely distinguishable from those of Gambusia. 

 Species all American. Surface swimmers, feeding upon insects. 



{i^vyhv, yoke ; vi^KTrjc, swimmer; they being said to swim in jiairs.) 



* Body rather elongate. {Zygonectes.) 

 a. Sides without black band. 



546. Tt. rcibrifroEis Jordan. 



Body moderately stout, little compressed, not elevated, the caudal 

 peduncle deep ; head rather long, broad between the eyes, flat above ; 

 eyes large, 3i in head, their range horizontal; mouth rather large. 

 Teeth small, nearly even, in a narrow band. Scales moderate. Dorsal 

 fin very short and small, placed a little behind the anal or about even 

 with it, its position in the males rather more posterior ; anal short, high 

 in the males ; ventrals very small ; pectorals small. Color, males dark 

 olivaceous, with a dark, bronze-orange spot on each scale posteriorly, 

 much as in Fundulus catenatus. Below, these spots are bright orange. 

 Faint, narrow vertical, orange bars along the lower and posterior part 

 of the body. Vertical fins with orange spots. Jaws and space in front 

 of eyes bright orange-red ; paired fins dusky. Females almost uniform 

 brassy-olivaceous, without evident spots or red markings. Head 3^ in 

 length to base of caudal; depth Sf. D. 7 or 8; A. 8 or 9; Lat. 1. 32; 

 L. transv. 11 or 12 ; B. 5. L. 2^3 inches. San Sebastian Eiver, Flor- 

 ida, a larger species than most in the genus, and with the dorsal fin less 

 l)osterior. 



(Jordan, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus. 1879, 237.) 



Siy. S. BfiecasEialli Jordan. 



Body rather stout, deep and compressed, the profile nearly straight, 

 the back little elevated, and the caudal peduncle deep; head moderate; 



