348 Field Museum of Natural History — Zoology, Vol. X. 



48. Genus Neetroplus Giinther. 



Neetroplus Gunther, Trans. Zool. Soc. London, VI, 1869, 469 (type 



Neetroplus nematopus Gunther). 



Body ovate to elongate, compressed ; mouth small ; the anterior teeth in 

 each jaw compressed and incisor-like. In other respects like Cichlasoma. 



This genus contains three species, one each in Nicaragua, Costa Rica, 

 and Panama. 



79. Neetroplus panamensis Meek & Hildebrand. 



Neetroplus panamensis Meek & Hildebrand, Field Mus. Nat. Hist. 



Pub., Zool. Ser., X, 1913, 90 (Rio Mandingo, Bas Obispo, Canal 



Zone, Panama). 



Head 2.9 to 3.1; depth 2 to 2.25; D. XVII (rarely XVIII), 9 or 10; 

 A. VI (rarely VII), 7; scales 27 to 30. 



Body rather short, compressed; head moderate; snout blunt, equal 

 to or shorter than postorbital part of head, 2.4 to 3 in head; eye 3 to 

 3.84; mouth small, terminal; maxillary failing to reach anterior margin 

 of eye, 3.25 to 3.75 in head; cheeks with 3 rows of rather large scales; 

 lips thin, the lower one free only at sides; teeth in the jaws distinctly 

 compressed, incisor-like, with reddish brown tips; gill-membranes 

 broadly connected across isthmus; gill-rakers short, 7 or 8 on lower limb 

 of first arch; scales moderate, ctenoid, 2^ to 3 rows between lateral line 

 and middle of base of dorsal; lateral line interrupted under soft portion 

 of dorsal, reappearing on third row of scales below its original course; 

 origin of dorsal over margin of opercle, the spines graduated, the last 

 one 2.3 to 2.8 in head; the soft portion scaly at base, pointed, a few of 

 the middle rays produced, reaching to distal fourth of caudal; caudal 

 fin scaly at base, its margin evenly convex; anal fin with 6 or rarely 7 

 strong, graduated spines, the soft portion similar to that of dorsal; 

 ventral fins with the outer rays produced, often reaching opposite the 

 4th or 5th anal spine; pectoral fins not quite reaching origin of anal, i.i 

 to 1.24 in head. 



Back bluish black; sides reddish or brownish. Young with black- 

 ish bars, these obscure or wanting in adult; a prominent dark blotch on 

 middle of sides below posterior portion of spinous dorsal, and sometimes 

 with a series of irregular black blotches on lower part of side from above 

 base of pectorals to base of caudal; vertical fins dark, tinged with red in 

 adult; ventral fins always pale blue. 



There are 42 specimens, ranging from 65 to 103 mm. in length, in the 

 present collection. 



Habitat: Rio Chagres Basin. 



