FISHES 105 



28-9; body slender; eyes large: swamps of Florida; scarce; one of the 

 smallest known fishes. 



L. goodei Jord. Length 40 mm.; head 4; depth 4.25; color olivace- 

 ous, with a distinct black band running from the snout to the tail 

 where it ends in a round spot; rays of dorsal and anal lins 9; scales 

 29 to 32-7: Everglades region; common. 



L. venusta Gir. Length 50 mm.; head 3.5; depth 3.5; color light 

 olive; scales dark edged; dorsal, caudal and pectoral fins yellow in male, 

 plain in female; ventral and anal fins orange; dorsal fin with a black spot 

 at its base and with 11 or 12 rays; anal with 9 or 10; scales 26-8: lagoons 

 and inlets of the Gulf coast from Florida to Mexico; often very common. 



L. parva Baird & Girard. Rain-water fish. Length 45 mm.; head 

 3.25; depth 3.25 color; olive; fins in male orange tipped with black; 

 dorsal fin with a large black spot at its base and with 10 to 12 rays; 

 anal with 10 or 11; scales 26-8: Atlantic coast from Connecticut to 

 Key West, near the shore and in brackish pools; very common towards 

 the south. 



3. C3rprinodon Lacepede. Body short, deep, elliptical, the back 

 elevated; mouth small; teeth tricuspid, in a single series; scales very 

 large; dorsal fin high and in advance of the anal: 9 species, in brackish 

 waters of the southern States and Mexico. 



C. variegatus Lac. Length 75 mm.; head 3.25; depth 2; color of 

 male olivaceous, blue above; color of anterior portion of the sides and of 

 belly salmon; tail with a black bar at base and tip; female light olive, 

 with about 14 cross streaks; rays of dorsal fin 11; anal 10; scales 26-13: 

 Cape Cod to the Rio Grande, in brackish waters and the mouth of 

 streams; very common. 



4. Jordanella Goode & Bean. Body short, deep, compressed; back 

 elevated; mouth small; teeth in a single series; dorsal fin long; scales 

 large; tail rounded; viviparous: i species. 



J.floridcB G. & B. Length 65 mm.; head 3.5; depth 2 to 2.5; color 

 olivaceous, with a blue stripe along each series of scales, and 4 or 5 

 vague vertical bars; rays of dorsal fin I, 14 to 16; anal I, 11 to 13; 

 scales 25 to 27-11 or 12: streams and swamps of Florida; common. 



5. Gambusia Poey. Top minnow. Body elongate; mouth small; 

 scales large, anal fin in male very long and slender and modified to form 

 a long intromittant organ; ventral fins near the pectorals; dorsal fin 

 behind the anal; viviparous: 8 species of small fish in fresh waters of 

 the southern States, Cuba, and Mexico; i species in the United States. 



G. affinis (Baird & Girard) (Fig. 47). Length 50 mm. (female); 

 male much smaller; head 4; depth 4; color light olive, each scale edged 



