83. ELASSOMATID.E ELASSOMA. 4GI 



(IV, 10); A. II, G; V. 7; B. G; Lat. 1. 47-58. L. 5 inches. Sliiggi.sb 

 streams aud bayous from New Yoi'k coastwise to Louisiana, and througli- 

 out the INIississippi Basin in lowlands and streams with alhivial bot- 

 toms; locally abundant, variable. The singular variations in the posi- 

 tion of the vent have given rise to several nominal species aud a nomi- 

 nal genus. 



{Scolo2)siH saj/amis Gilliiiina, Joum. Acad. Nat. Sci. Plula. iv, 81: Aphrcdodcrun rjibbo- 

 sus C. & V. ix, 448: Sternoiremia isolcpis Nelson, Bull. Ills. Nat. Mas. i, 39, 1876: Aphro- 

 dcdinis cool:ianiis Jordan, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Pliila. 1877, GO: Asternotremia mesotrcma 

 .loidan, Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus. x, .^)2: Aphododerus isolepis Jordan, ]\Iau. Vert. ed. 2, 24D; 

 Giinther, i, '271. For description of variations in tlio position of the vent, see Jordan, 

 Bull. 111. Lab. Nat. Hist, ii, 48, 1878.) 



Family LXXXIII (6).— ELASSOMATID^E. 



{The Elassomes.) 



Body oblong, compressed, covered with rather large, cycloid scales. 

 Mouth small, terminal, the lower jaw projecting ; both jaws with rather 

 strong conic teeth in few series; no teeth on A^omer or palatines; upper 

 jaw very protractile. Bones of head with entire edges. Cheeks and 

 opercles scaly. Gill-membranes broadly united, free from the isthmus; 

 gill-rakers tubercle-like. Lower pharyngeals narrow, separate, with 

 sharp teeth. Branchiostegals apparently 5. Lateral line obsolete. 

 Vent normal. Dorsal fin single, small, with about 4 spines; anal with 

 3 spines; ventrals thoracic I, 5; caudal rounded. Pseudobranchice 

 none. VertebrfB 24. One species known, a very singular little fish, 

 one of the smallest known, inhabiting the fresh waters of the United 

 States ; intermediate between the Aphredoderidcc and Centra rchidcc. 



241.— EI.ASS01TIA Jordan. 



(Jordan, Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus. x, 50, 1877 : typo Elassoma conato Jordan ) 



Characters of the genus included above. [lXaGa6uJiJ.a, a diminution.) 



722. E. zoc]:itUEai Jordan. 



Color olive green, everywhere finely punctulate; sides with about 

 eleven parallel vertical bands of dark olive, about equal in width, nar- 

 rower than the eye ; the bands about as wide as the pale interspaces ; 

 a conspicuous loundish black spot, nearly as large as the eye, on the 

 sides just above the axis of the body, under the beginning of the 

 dorsal ; soft fins faintly barred ; a blackish bar at base of caudal. 

 Body oblong, compressed, the nape rather broad and depressed. Head 

 narrowed forward. Eye large, 3 in head. Mouth small, oblique, the 



