FISHES 89 



4. Gronias Cope. Blind catfish. Eyes covered by the skin: i 

 species. 



G. nigrilahris (Cope). Length 250 mm.; color black above; anal 

 fin with 18 rays; eyes rudimentary, beneath the skin; barbels short: 

 in cave streams tributary to the Conestoga River in eastern 

 Pennsylvania. 



5. Opladelus Rafinesque. Body large, elongate; head very wide 

 and flat; mouth very large, with a projecting lower jaw; skin thick and 

 villose; premaxillary teeth form a broad villiform band, convex anteri- 

 orly, with a backward prolongation on each side (Fig. 41); anal fin 

 slightly concave: i species. 



L. olivaris (Raf.). Mud cat; goujon. Extreme length 1,500 mm.; 

 extreme weight 100 lbs.; average weight 35 lbs.; color yellowish, mottled 

 with brown or greenish; body slender; anal fin with 12 to 15 rays; 

 dorsal spine short: Mississippi Valley and Gulf States; common in 

 deep, sluggish waters. 



6. Noturus Rafinesque. Body elongate and similar to Opladelus; 

 dentition also similar (Fig. 41) ; adipose fin long, low and keel-like 

 and adnate posteriorly and separated from the tail by a notch; a 

 poison gland at the base of the pectoral spine; skin tough and villose: 

 I species. 



N. flavus Raf. Stone cat. Length 300 mm.; head 4.25; depth 

 5.6; color yellowish brown; dorsal spines very short; anal fin with about 

 16 rays; barbels short: Great Lakes region and westward into Montana; 

 southward to Texas; often common in small sluggish streams. 



7. Schilbeodes Bleeker. Mad-toms. Body small, elongate ; head 

 flattened; mouth large, with a somewhat projecting upper jaw; teeth 

 in a broad convex band in each jaw (Fig. 41) ; adipose fin as in Noturus; 

 anal fin with 12 to 23 rays; a poison gland as in Noturus: several species, 

 some very rare, in southern and western States, in small streams; the 

 sting of the sharp pectoral spines may be very painful. 



S. gyrinus (Mitchill). Mad-tom (Fig. 42). Length 125 mm.; head 

 3.5 to 4; depth 4 to 5.5; color uniform yellowish brown, with a narrow 

 lateral black streak; pectoral spine smooth; adipose fin continuous with 

 the tail fin; anal fin with 13 to 15 rays: Hudson River and westward 

 throughout the Great Lakes region and Mississippi Valley; common 

 towards the north. 



S. nocturmis (Jordan and Gilbert). Length 75 mm.; head 3.6; 

 color dark brown, dotted with black; rays of anal fin 15 or 16: adipose 

 fin high, joined to the caudal: Mississippi Valley from Indiana to 

 Arkansas. 



