Dec. 28, 1916. Fishes of Panama — Meek and Hildebrand. 361 



Head 3.25 to 3.6; depth 4.65 to 5.5; D. VII-I, 10; A. I, 10; scales 95 

 to 115. 



Body subcylindrical anteriorly, compressed posteriorly; head some- 

 what depressed, wider than deep, the upper profile slightly convex; 

 snout blunt, 3.3 to 3.8 in head; eye small, 4.9 to 6.15; interorbital 2.7 

 to 3.33; mouth rather large, oblique; the lower jaw projecting; maxil- 

 lary reaching a little past middle of eye, 2.22 to 2.35 in head; cheeks 

 and most of head with scales; teeth small, pointed, in bands; gill-rakers 

 little developed; gill-membranes attached to the isthmus; scales very 

 small, those on anterior part of body and head and abdomen smooth, 

 those on posterior part of body ctenoid; origin of first dorsal about mid- 

 way between tip of snout and base of last ray of second dorsal, the spines 

 rather short and weak, reaching nearly or quite to second dorsal ; origin 

 of second dorsal about an eye's diameter in advance of origin of anal, 

 the posterior rays reaching nearly or quite to base of caudal ; caudal fin 

 short, with small scales at base, its margin rounded; anal fin similar to 

 second dorsal; ventral fins rather small, inserted under base of pectorals; 

 pectoral fins rather short, reaching but little past tips of ventrals, 1.3 

 to 1.7 in head. 



Color bluish black above, brownish below. Fins in spirits dusky or 

 black; the dorsals, anal and ventrals all with pale margin. 



There are 5 specimens, ranging from 105 to 185 mm. in length, in the 

 present collection. These were taken in brackish ditches and creeks at 

 Colon and Toro Point. 



Habitat: Atlantic coast and rivers from Mexico to Brazil and the 

 West Indies. 



53. Leptophilypnus gen. nov. 



Type Leptophilypnus fluviatilis sp. nov. 



Body shaped as in Philypnus. The head, chest and predorsal region 

 naked; mouth large, oblique; eyes not wholly lateral; interorbital nar- 

 row; dentary bones meeting under posterior angle of mouth; leaving an 

 oval-shaped naked area at chin; preopercular spine wanting; teeth all 

 small, pointed, in broad bands in the jaws, none on vomer. Gill- 

 opening extending forward nearly to vertical from posterior margin of 

 eye. Readily distinguished from all other EleoiridincB by the broad and 

 expanded dentary bones. Carniverous. 



88. Leptophilypnus fluviatilis sp. nov. 



Type No. 8952, F. M. N. H.; length 46 mm.; Mindi, Canal Zone, 

 Panama. 



Head 3.06 to 3.4; depth 5.25 to 5.86; D. VI-I, 9; A. I, 9; scales 

 30 to 34. 



