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FISHES — CYPEINIDAE — DIONDA EPISCOPA. 227 



This group has to include a much greater number of genera and species than was formerly 

 anticipated. But, as a group, it must be based upon characters very different from those derived 

 from the structure of the mouth. Indeed, those cartilaginous maxillar sheaths so prominent 

 in Cliondrosloma, Chondrochjlm, Chondrorhynchus and Lavinia, gradually become less and less 

 conspicuous, until we find but a thin pelicle, such as occurs in other groups of the same family. 



DIONDA, Girard. 



Gen. Char. — ITeacl sub-conical or siibpyramiclal. Mouth small, its gape somewhat arched; snout overlaping the lower jaw. 

 Angle of the mouth not extending as far as the orbit. The eyes are large, moderate sized, or small. The isthmus is rather 

 wide. Inserl ion of ventrals situated under the anterior margin of the dorsal or posterior to It. Caudal furcated. Pharyngeal 

 bones stout, lower limb or branch as long as the upper. The teeth are of the cultriform kiud, of the grinding type, compressed, 

 not hooked ; four are observed upon a single row, thus: 4 — 4. 



SMU—Dlonda, Grd. in Proc. Acad. Nat So. Philad. VIII, 1856, 176. 



Resembles Hyhorliynchus, from which it differs by a smaller and more pointed head, a smaller 

 mouth, though constructed upon the same plan as in Hyhorhynchus, that is, the lower jaw being 

 thin, flat and rounded upon its periphery. The body is more slender and elongated, the snout 

 more protruding. The scales are either large, or else of moderate size, and the lateral line 

 follows more or less the middle of the flanks. The dorsal fin is higher than long, and shorter 

 than in Eyhorliynclms, and the anierior ray is more closely united to the next. The insertion 

 of the ventrals is always situated posteriorly to the anterior margin of the dorsal, or under it, 

 never in advance of it. The pharyngeal bones are stouter than in Hyhorhynchus, the lower 

 branch or limb has the same length as the upper ; both are more curved, thus rendering the 

 convexity of that bone more conspicuous ; it is expanded as usual. The teeth are similar to 

 those of Hyhorhynchus, being, however, not quite so compressed and not hooked. 



This genus is closely allied to Campostoma, and since our Diondae are, generally speaking, 

 small fishes, we should not be surprised at hearing that some of the species of Campostoma, 

 while yet immature, could not always be easily distinguished from them, for, the mouth is, 

 properly speaking, not smaller than in Campostoma. 



As to the genus Campostoma itself, it is treated of in the "Ichthyology to the United States 

 and Mexican Boundary Survey," where three species are figured and described. Several species 

 of Dionda are likewise illustrated in the same report. 



1. DIONDA EPISCOPA, Grd. 



Spec. Char. — Body slender and sub-fusiform. Head sub-conical, blunt anteriorly, constituting the fifth of the total length. 

 Eye large and sub-circular. Gape of mouth slightly arched, its angle not extending as far as a vertical line drawn in advance 

 of the orbit. Caudal fin entering five and a half times in the total length. Insertion of ventrals situated somewhat posteriorly 

 to the anterior margin of tho dorsal. Scales large deeper than long. Blackish brown above, yellowish white beneath, spread 

 all over with dark dots ; a black streak from the snout across the orbit to the base of the caudal, where a black spot is likewise 

 observed. 



Sy.v.— Dionia episcopa Grd., in Proc. Acad. Nat. Sc. Philad. "VIII, 1856, 177. 



The body is slender and graceful, sub-fusiform in profile, compressed, with the back slightly 

 arched. The largest specimens observed measuring about three inches and a quarter. The 

 head is large, forming about the fifth of the total length. The eye is large and sub-circular ; 

 its diameter being contained three times and a half in the length of the side of the head : once 



