FISHES OF THE FAMILY LORICARIID®. 291 
series of plates between the lateral series : anterior plates smaller and more numerous, 
extending to the level of the inner angle of the gill-opening; those between the 
ventrals scarcely enlarged ; no distinct enlarged anal plate. First dorsal ray a little 
longer than the head. Pectoral spine extending a little beyond base of ventral; 
ventrals with the rays increasing in length from the innermost outwards, the spine 
slightly produced ; upper ray of caudal very elongate. Breadth of body at level of 
first anal ray 44 times in the distance from that point to the caudal. Olivaceous; 
fins, except the anal, with dark spots on the rays. 
Total length 235 mm. 
Two specimens from the R. La Plata—one collected by Dr. Cunningham, the other 
from the Haslar Collection. 
30. LoricaRiA CATAPHRACTA, 
Loricaria cataphracta Linn. Syst. Nat. (ed. x.) p. 307 (1758) ; Bloch, Ausl. Fische, viii. p. 76, 
pl. 75. figs. 3& 4; Cuv. & Val. Hist. Nat. Poiss. xv. p. 459 (1840) ; Kner, Denkschr. Ak. 
Wien, vi. 1854, p. 77 ; Giinth. Cat. Fish. v. p. 255 (1864) ; Peters, Monatsb. Ak. Berl. 1877, 
p. 471; Cope, Proc. Am. Phil. Soc. xvii. 1878, p. 681; Kigenm. & Eigenm. Proe. Cal. 
Ac. (2) ii. 1889, p. 36, and Oce. Pap. Cal. Ac. i. 1890, p. 382. 
Loricaria cirrhosa Bl. Schn. p. 125, pl. xxxiv. (1801). 
Loricaria setifera Lacep. Hist. Nat. Poiss. v. p. 140 (1803). 
Plecostomus flagellaris Gronoy. Cat. p. 158 (1854). 
Loricaria dura Bleek. Nat. Verh. Holl. Maats. xx. 1864, Silures de Suriname, p. 18. 
Length of head 43-5 times in the total length. Breadth of head 13 times in its 
length, diameter of eye 6-7} times, interorbital width 41-51 times, length of snout 
nearly twice. Snout pointed ; supraoccipital with a pair of serrated keels; orbit with 
a broad shallow notch ; lips covered with tentacle-like papille ; lower lip of moderate 
breadth, emarginate, with long marginal fringes; barbel extending to gill-opening ; 
teeth moderately strong, those of the upper jaw the longer, 3 or 4 on each side: 
lower jaw with about 6 teeth on each side. 33-34 scutes in a longitudinal series, 
17-19+ 15-16, all in front of the dorsal carinate, the lateral keels sharp and separate 
throughout. Lower surface of head naked; abdomen with 3-5 irregular series of 
plates between the lateral series, anterior plates smaller and more numerous, those 
between the ventrals scarcely enlarged ; no distinct enlarged anal plate. First dorsal 
ray as long as the head (young) or 1} times as long (adult); pectoral spine extending 
to anterior } or nearly to middle of ventral; ventrals with the rays increasing in length 
from the innermost outwards, the spine more or less produced ; uppermost caudal ray 
very elongate. Breadth of body at level of first anal ray 5-6 times in the distance 
from that point to the caudal. Brownish; fins blackish. 
Total length 275 mm. 
Nineteen specimens: R. Amazon; Guiana. 
