SOUTH AMERICAN NEMATOGNATHI. 35 



20. Ailurichthys pinnimaculatus. 



jElurichthys pinnimac.ulalus Steindachner, SB. Ak. Wien, Ixxiv, 



1876, Ichthyol. Beitr. iv, 15, plate viii, figs. 1-3 (Panama; 



Altata; West Coast of Costa Eica); Jordan & Gilbert, Bull. U. 



S. Fish Com. 1882, 34 (Panama); Jordan & Gilbert, Proc. U. S. 



Nat. Mus, 1882, 622 (Panama); Jordan, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus. 



1885, 365 (Libertad; Punta Arenas). 

 Ailurichthys pinnimaculatus Eigenm. k Eigeum. Proc. Cal. Acad. 



Sci. 2d Set. Vol. i, 1888, 148 (Panama). 

 Habitat: West Coast of Central America and Panama. 



Body somewhat elongate, its greatest depth equal to 

 its greatest width, somewhat compressed posteriorly. 

 Head short and depressed, its greatest depth at the base 

 of the occipital crest equals f of its greatest width which 

 is equal to its length. Fontanel broad, continued as 

 a groove to the base of the occipital process. Occipital 

 process narrow, reaching to the dorsal plate. 



Profile from dorsal spine to tip of snout concave. 



Eye 1 in snout. If in interorbital, 4 in the interocular, 

 5| in head. 



Snout rather broad, sub-truncate, projecting slightly 

 beyond the lower jaw. Intermaxillary band of teeth 

 shallowest in the middle; vomerine teeth forming with 

 the palatine teeth a narrow crescenti- 

 form band of about the same depth 

 throughout. Teeth of the lower jaw in /^....^-^^—S^ 

 a shallow band which is interrupted at 3 



the symphysis and tapers to the rictus. 



Maxillary barbels broad band-like, reaching about to 

 the middle of the anal fin. 



Gill-membranes united, gill rakers 1 or 2+3 or 4. 



Distance of dorsal spine from tip of snout SJ-SA in 

 the length. Dorsal spine I3 in head, with a few notches 

 on its outer margin near the tip, its filament reaching 

 to the caudal. 



Caudal deeply forked, the upper lobe 3 in the length. 



Longest anal ray li in head, shortest ray \ as long 

 as the longest. 



