112 SILURIDJS. 



1. Platynematichthys punctulatus. 



Bagrus punctulatus, Kner, Sitzungsber. Wien. Acad. xxvi. p. 380. 

 nigro-punctatus, Kner, in Wiegm. Arch. 1858, p. 346. 



D. 1/6. A. 16. P. 1/9. 



The length of the head is one-fifth of the total (with the caudal), 

 and equals the height of the body ; the greatest width of the head 

 equals the distance of the snout from the praeoperculum. Jaws equal 

 in length, armed with very broad bands of teeth, the bands extending 

 to the outer surface of the jaws. Vomerine band of teeth broadest 

 on the sides; palatines without teeth. Barbels very broad, band- 

 like ; those of the maxillaries extend beyond the middle of the pec- 

 toral. Dorsal spine very long, bent, sabre-shaped ; pectoral spine 

 very strong, extending backwards to below the end of the dorsal. 

 Brownish above, whitish below, the brownish part with roundish 

 black spots. (Kner.') 



Rio Guapore and Rio Branco. 



51. PIRATINGA*. 



Piratinga et Malacobagrus, Bleek. Nederl. Tyclschr. Dierht 1863, 

 pp. 99 & 100. 



Adipose fin of moderate length ; a short dorsal fin with a more or 

 less pungent spine and .with six soft rays ; anal fin short. Barbels 

 six, filiform. Villiform bands of teeth on the palate. Jaws equal in 

 length, or the upper the longer. Eyes with a free orbital margin. 

 Skin reticulated, covering the whole of the upper surface of the head 

 and neck. Caudal forked ; ventral with six rays. 



Tropical America. 



1. Piratinga filamentosa. 



Pimelodes filamentosus, Lichtenst. in Wiedem. Zool. Mag. i. pt. 3. p. 60. 

 B. 7. D. 7. A. 9. P. 11. 

 Head depressed, with the upper jaw prominent. The maxillary 

 barbels are about thrice as loug as the entire fish. The upper caudal 

 rays produced into a very long filament. Dorsal and pectoral spines 

 very feeble, scarcely pungent. Cleft of the mouth wide. (Licht.) 

 Brazil. 



Not having seen either this species or the two following, I think 

 it better to leave them united in one genus, as the distinctive cha- 

 racters known are of no greater value than those of the different 

 species of Pimelodus. Also, Dr. v. Bleeker, who names this species 

 Malacobagrus, and the two others Piratinga, has not pointed out 

 any other characters besides those contained in the descriptions of 

 Lichtenstein and Kner. 



* 1. Bagrus flavicans, Casteln. Anim. Amer. Sud, Poiss. p. 32. pi. 13. fig. 2, is 

 so badly described that it is impossible to fix its position in the system. 



2. rousseauxii, Casteln. p. 32. pi. 14. fig. 1 , is another name given to some 



fish by the same collector. 



3. punctulatus, Casteln. p. 33. pi. 14. fig. 2. 



