107. aspredo. 267 



106. BUNOCEPHALICHTHYS. 



Bunocephalichthys, Bleek. Nederl. Tydschr. Dierk. 1863, p. 118. 



Adipose fin none ; one rudimentary two-rayed dorsal fin, situated 

 somewhat in advance of the ventrals, which are six-rayed; anal 

 short ; pectorals with a strong, depressed spine. Barbels six : one to 

 each maxillary, one to each angle of the mouth, and one on each side 

 of the chin. Both jaws with bands of villiform teeth ; palate smooth. 

 The upper surface of the head with osseous protuberances ; skin of 

 the body warty. Eyes very small. Head broad and depressed, lower 

 than the hinder part of the tail, which is compressed. Gill-opening 

 reduced to a narrow foramen before the base of the pectoral fin. 



Bio Branco. 



1. Bunocephalichthys hypsiurus. 



Bunocephalus hypsiurus, Kner, Sitzgsber. Wien. Acad. 1855, xvii. p. 98. 

 taf. 1. fig. 1. 



D. 2. A. 5. P. 1/5. V. 6. 



The distance of the dorsal fin from the end of the snOut is two- 

 fifths of the total length (without caudal). The tubercles on the 

 upper surface of the head are arranged in two series, each of which 

 is curved outwards in the nuchal region. The maxillary barbels 

 extend to, or nearly to, the root of the pectoral ; mandibulary barbels 

 very short. Tail with an upper and lower undulated ridge. Pectoral 

 spine serrated on its inner margin ; caudal fin rounded; Brownish, 

 clouded with darker ; yellow spots along the lateral line. (Kner.) 



Bio Branco. 



b. Anal fin long. 



107. ASPREDO. 



Aspredo, L. Mus. Ad. Fred. p. 73. 



Aspredo, Platystacus (£1.), Aspredinichthys, Bleek. Nederl. Tydschr. 

 Dierk. 1863, p. 117. 



Adipose fin none ; dorsal short, without pungent spine ; anal very 

 long, not united with the caudal. Head broad, much depressed; 

 tail very long and slender. Villiform teeth in both jaws. Barbels 

 not less than six, one of which is attached to each intermaxillary; 

 none at the nostrils. Eyes very small. Gill-opening very narrow, 

 reduced to a foramen before the pectoral spine, which is very strong, 

 much depressed, and strongly denticulated. Head covered with soft 

 skin. Ventral fins six-rayed, situated below the dorsal fin. 



Guiana. 



Bloch and Valenciennes have found the belly of several individuals 

 of this genus covered with short, soft appendages, each of which had 

 a styliform base and a discal dilatation at the end. Whilst the former 

 considered this peculiarity as a specific character, the latter pointed 

 out that these appendages are developed at a certain age ; but whereas, 

 at p. 430, he first says that he has observed them only in certain 



