Introduction. lv 



COMMON NAMES OF MEXICAN FRESH-WATER FISHES. 



Many common names applied to the fresh-water fishes of Mexico 

 are used in a collective sense, and so do not apply to any particular 

 species. Below are given some of these names and the names of the 

 fishes to which they are applied. 



The garpikes and the needle fishes are known by the name Muja.* 

 Bagre is the name generally applied to catfishes. I heard no other 

 name applied to these fishes south of the City of Mexico. For the 

 catfishes in the streams north of Tampico several names are used, 

 and rather indiscriminately, and I am uncertain in my distribution 

 of them. Besugo is probably applied to Leptops olivaris Raf., and to 

 dark-colored individuals of Amiurus. Petonte is applied to the chan- 

 nel cats and to Amiurus lupus (Girard) , which much resemble them. 

 Metalote is a buffalo fish, this name being applied to all of the species 

 north of Tampico. Lisa is applied to Myzostoma congestum (B. & G.), 

 to species of the genus Mugil, and to Menidia lisa Meek, a species of 

 silverside. Nototropis boucardi (Gth.) is known as Salmichi. Algansea 

 tincella (C. & V.) is called Juilis. The other species of minnows are 

 known as Sardina. The name Sardina is commonly used for silvery col- 

 ored fishes as the Dorosomatids or gizzard shads. Anguilla is the 

 name of the eels. Mixpapatl is applied to Goodea whitei Meek. 

 Roballo is the name of the black bass ; this name is also used for Cen- 

 tropomus mexiccmus (Boa). The black bass is sometimes called Besugo. 

 The fresh-water drum and the species of Pomadasys in the Rio Panuco 

 are known as Dorado. Mojarra is applied to the Cichlids and some of 

 the larger Pceciliid® where Cichlids are not found. Metapil is applied 

 only to Philypnus dormitor Lac. Trucha is the name of Agonostomus 

 monticola (Bancroft) and Bobo is Joturus pickardi Poey. 



DEFINITIONS AND EXPLANATIONS OF TERMS USED IN THE 

 DESCRIPTION OF FISHES IN THIS WORK. 



In order to be able to identify a fish, or rather to know just what 

 species any particular fish may be, there are some things regarding its 

 anatomy that should be known. In the accompanying figure of the 

 large-mouth black bass the important parts of the external anatomy 

 are indicated by name. All of the parts represented on this fish do not 

 occur on all fishes, and so it will require some care to make out those 

 that are present. A careful study of this figure, and the following 

 definitions and explanations, will enable one to easily use the keys 

 and descriptions in this work. A little practice will make the iden- 

 tification of most of the species comparatively easy. 



*I will not vouch for the correct spelling of some of these names. 



