of the Island of Trinidad^ W. I. 49 



Ancistriii^i g^uacharote (Val.)) Oilll. 



Synonymy. 



Hypostomus gtiacharote, Cuv. and Val. Hist. Nat. des Poissons, vol. 



XV., p. 508. 1840. 



The body is moderately slender. The head from the muzzle 

 to the nape forms a quarter of the entire length, inclusive of 

 the caudal, and a third of the length to the base of that lin ; at 

 the opercular bones or bases of the pectorals, it is as broad as 

 long ; on the posterior portion, it is flattened above, and round- 

 ed on the sides, without any crests or sharp angles. The eyes 

 have diameters equal to a fifth of the length of the head ; the 

 distance between them is equal to two and a half diameters, 

 and is little less than their distance from the snout. The ante- 

 rior angle of the branchial aperture is under the fore part of 

 the eye. 



The first dorsal commences at a distance from the snout, 

 equal to double the length of the head ; its base exceeds the 

 interval between the eyes, and. is three-fifths of the greatest 

 height ; the distance between its last ray, and the spine of the 

 adipose dorsal, is equal to half the length of the base of the first 

 dorsal. 



D. I. r— I. A. 4. C. I. 6, 8 I. P. 1, 6. Y. 1, 5. 



Tlie color of the body and fins is a reddish brown ; the body 

 is immaculate ; the fins clouded with a darker color. 



The description which Yalenciennes has given of the Hypo- 

 stomus guacharote answers in every particular to the species 

 inhabiting the waters of Trinidad. The specimens, from which 

 that ichthyologist drew his description, were brought from the 

 island of Porto Rico by M. Plee. The specific name given to 

 the species is the same as the popular one by which it is known 

 in that island. It appears to be rather rare in Trinidad ; the 

 vernacular name by which it is there called is Tata, the same 



