236 Fibld Columbian Museum — Zoology, Vol. V. 



Color brownish, with S or 9 narrow vertical black bars; fins dark 

 without distinct markings. 



226. Achirus fonsecensis (Gunther). 



Solca fonsecensis Gunther, Cat., iv, 475, 1862; Gulf of Fonseca. 



Achirus fonsecensis Jordan, Proc. Cal. Acad. Sci., 1895, 230; Rio 

 Presidio, Sinaloa: Jordan & Evermann, Bull. 47, U. S. Nat. 

 Mus., 1898, 2699; Rio Presidio, Sinaloa. 



Pacific coast of tropical America, entering rivers. 



Head 3^; depth if; D. 58; A. 44; scales about 85. Body oval; 

 eyes small, the upper in advance of the lower; interorbital space less 

 than diameter of eye; no trace of pectoral on left side, the one on 

 right side small, of about 2 rays; ventral of right side composed of 

 5 rays, continuous with anal fin; scales on the nape twice or thrice as 

 large as those on the body; the left anterior part of the head with 

 numerous tentacles; the right lower lip with distinct slender fringes; 

 caudal fin rounded, as long as head. 



Color brownish olive, with six pairs of deep brown vertical lines 

 extending on dorsal and anal fins. 



Subgenus Achirus Lacepede. 



227. Achirus fasciatus Lacepede. 



Achirus fasciatus Lacepede, Hist. Nat? Poiss., iv, 659, 662, 1803; 

 Charleston: Jordan & Evermann, Bull. 47, U. S. Nat. Mus., 

 1898, 2700. 



Solca achirus Gunther, Cat., iv, 476, 1S62. 



Atlantic and gulf coasts from Cape Ann to the Isthmus of Tehuan- 

 tepec; ascending rivers to a considerable distance above tide-water. 

 (Perez.) 



Head 4; depth i| ; D. 50 to 55 ; A. 37 to 45 ; scales 66 to 75. Body 

 broad, elliptical; mouth small, reaching past front of lower eye; lower 

 lip on right side fringed; eyes very small, the upper slightly in ad- 

 vance of the lower ; interorbital space with scales ; head and body 

 covered with strongly ctenoid scales ; on blind side many scales on and 

 near head with hair-like appendages ; lateral line straight ; origin of 

 dorsal fin on tip of snout ; no pectoral fins. 



Color, eyed side dusky, more or less mottled, with 7 or 8 narrow 

 dark vertical streaks; fins with black spots, blind side white. Length 

 about 5 or 6 inches. 



