136 VERTEBRATE ANIMALS OF THE UNITED STATES 



scaly; rays of dorsal fins IX or X-ii to 13; anal I, 8; scales 6-48 to 50-10' 

 northern Alabama; abundant. 



15. Copelandellus Jordan & Evermann. Similar to Boleichthys, 

 but differing in having the top of the head scaly: i species. 



C. quiescens (Jordan). Body compressed, elongate; length 75 mm.; 

 head 3.6; depth 4.6; color dark brown, with bright red and blackish 

 mottlings on the sides and back; a small black shoulder spot; rays of 

 dorsal fins IX to XII-9 to 12; anal II, 7; scales 3-48 to 56-10; cheeks, 

 breast, nape and opercles scaly: Virginia to Florida, in swamps and low- 

 land streams of the coastal plain; not common. 



16. Boleichthys Girard. Similar to Etheostoma, with a curved and 

 incomplete lateral line: 2 species. 



B. fusiformis (Girard). Body elongate and compressed; length 50 

 mm.; head 3.5 to 4; depth 3.75 to 6; color very variable, olivaceous, 

 blotched with dusky; a black spot below and another in front of the 

 eye; rays of dorsal fins IX or X-9 to 12; anal II, 6 to 8; scales 3-43 to 

 60-12; cheek, opercle and nape scaly: entire eastern and central States; 

 westward to Minnesota and the Rio Grande, in lowland streams and 

 ponds. 



17. Microperca Putnam. Similar to Etheostoma, but without a 

 lateral line: 3 species. 



Key to the Species of Microperca 



ai Cheeks and opercles scaly M. prcelaris. 



a,2 Cheeks naked. 



bi Anal spines 2; in the northwest M. punctulata. 



hi Anal spine i; in the south M. fonticola. 



M. proslaris Hay. Length 40 mm.; head 4; depth 4.5; color olive, 

 speckled with brown; 10 spots along the sides; rays of dorsal fins VIII- 

 11; anal 11,6; scales 36: Alabama to Arkansas, in lowland streams. 



M. punctulata Putn. Length 30 mm.; head 3.75; depth 4.5 to 5; 

 color light olive, with sides speckled and vaguely barred; rays of dorsal 

 fins VI to VIII-9 or 10; anal II, 6; scales 34 to 37-9; opercles with a few 

 scales: Michigan to Minnesota; southward to Arkansas; common in 

 clear weedy streams and ponds, especially in the Great Lakes basin; 

 the smallest of the darters. 



M. fonticola (Jordan & Gilbert). Length 30 mm.; head :^.;^ to 4; 

 depth 4.5 to 5; color light olive, with 8 cross blotches on the back and 

 horizontal lines on the sides; rays of dorsal fins VI to VII-8 to 10; 

 anal 1,7; scales 34: Arkansas and Texas, in clear rocky streams; scarce. 



