g6 Field Columhian Museum — Zoouogv, Vol. III. 



CHARACODON Gunther. 



This genus is characterized by having firmly fixed bicuspid teeth, 

 and a short intestine which is from i to i ^ times the total length of 

 the fish. Anal fin with first 5 or 6 rays short and stiff. Species vivip- 

 arous. The type of this genus is C. lateralis, from Central America. 

 It is described as having the first rays of anal of male short and stiff. 

 Origin of dorsal fin almost over origin of anal. It is a little in advance 

 in lateralis and variatus, and slightly behind in furcideiis. Vertebra in 

 variatus 14-1-18 = 32. 



This genus now includes three species found in Mexico and Cen- 

 tral America. 



C. lateralis Gunther, from Central America, 



C. variatus Bean, from Central Mexico, and 



C. furcidens Jordan and Gilbert, from Lower California. The mod- 

 ification of the anal fin of the male in the last named has not been 

 noticed, and we are not sure that it exists. 



Characodon variatus Bean. 



The male of this species has a distinct dark lateral band. 

 The tips of the ventrals are usually black, and the dorsal and anal 

 fins have yellow margins. 



One male, 2.67 inches in length, from Ocotlan, is much lighter 

 in color than the others; sides with black spots as large as eye. 

 In general the coloration of this specimen is more like that of the 

 female than the male; the caudal is not black with a yellow margin. 

 The lateral band is broken up into a row of spots; below this on 

 .caudal peduncle is a second row of similar spots. 



The lateral band of the adult female is more or less broken, the 

 color more variegated, wdiile the lower half of the caudal peduncle 

 has several distinct dark spots irregularly arranged. The young 

 are much spotted, resembling Z. robtistiis, except that the spots 

 are larger and less numerous. Specimens from Huingo are 

 lighter than those from the other localities. 



The largest specimen of this species in our collection is a male 

 from Aguas Calientes, 3.15 inches in length; longest female, 

 2.85 inches, was taken at Lagos. 

 ^ The alimentary canal varies considerably; in some specimens, 



being scarcely longer than total length of the body, in others, i^ 

 total length. Peritoneum blackish. 



Viviparous; one female 2.20 inches in length, taken at 

 Celaya on May 28, contained 11 young, well developed, show- 



