SYSTEMATIC CATALOGUE OF FISHES. 



259 



anal and ventral fins pale yellow; caudal fin yellow, with 3 narrow black bars; pectoral fins pale 

 yellow, with faint bars, {simotcra, snub-nosed). 



Fig. 113. Snub-nosed Darter. Ulocentra simotera. 



This species is known from western Virginia to Alabama, being abundant in 

 Holston River and other streams on the western slope of the Alleghanies. It 

 has been recorded from North Carolina only by Cope, from the French Broad, 

 and the National Museum contains a specimen collected there by Cope. 

 Length, 3 inches. 



Genus DIPLESION Rafinesque. Darters. 



This genus contains only a single species^ with body elongate, cylindrical; 

 head short, profile strongly curved; mouth small, somewhat inferior; lower jaw 

 short; premaxillaries protractile, a slight bridle connecting them with forehead; 

 maxillary united to preorbital; jaw teeth strong, no teeth on vomer and pala- 

 tines; gill-membranes broadly united; gill-rakers short; scales of moderate size, 

 those on ventral surface not enlarged; lateral line complete; anterior dorsal 

 lower and longer than posterior; anal smaller than second dorsal, with 2 strong 

 spines. (Diplesion, nearly two, in allusion to the deeply incised dorsal.) 



222. DIPLESION BLENNIOIDES (Rafinesque). 

 Green-sided Darter. 



Etheostoma blennioides Rafinesque, Journal de Physique, 1819, 419; Ohio River. Jordan, 18896, 153; Swan- 



nanoa River and Spring Creek. 

 Hyostoma cymatogrammum. Cope, 18706, 450; French Broad River. 

 Diplesion blennioides, Jordan & Evermann, 1896, 1053, pi. clxx, fig. 449. 



Diagnosis. — Depth contained 4.75 to 6 times in length, head 4.3 to 4.6 times; mouth 

 very small, horizontal; upper jaw partly concealed in a groove vmder snout, maxillary extend- 

 ing about to anterior margin of eye; eye large, contained 3.5 in length of head, rather shorter 

 than snout, the eyes close together and separated by a groove; oiJercular spine strong; pyloric 

 coeca 4; scales in lateral series 65 to 78, in transverse series 6 + 14, fine scales on cheeks, large 

 scales on opercles; chest naked; dorsal rays xii to xiv + 12 to 15; anal rays ii,8 or ii.9; caudal 

 slightly concave; pectorals longer than head. Color: olive green, the back tessellated with 

 dark, the sides with about 8 pairs of green vertical bars joined below (sometimes above); 

 orange dots on sides; olive stripes and dark bars on head; first dorsal light brown at base, 

 blue above; second dorsal and anal bluish green; caudal green, with faint bars; females 

 duller, {blennioides, blenny-like.) 



