SOUTH AMERICAN NEMATOGNATHI. 209 



P imelod us fascial u 771 Lacepede, Hist. Nat. Poiss. v, 94, 99 aud 100, 

 1803. 



P laiy stoma fasc latum Cuv. & Val. Hist. Nat. Poiss. xv, 14, 1840 

 (copied); Kuer, SB. Ak. Wieu, xxvi, 401, 1857 (Surinam); Gtiii- 

 ther, Cat. Fish. Brit. Mus. v, 107, 1864 (Essequibo; Surinam; 

 KiverCapin, Para); Peters, MB. Ak. Berlin, 469, 1877 (Calabozo); 

 Steiudachner, Fisch-fauna Magd. Stromes, 15, 1878 (Magdalen 

 River); Cope, Proc. Am. Philos. See. xvii, 674, 1878 (Peruvian 

 Amazon); Steindachner, Fisch-faima CaiiCa & Fliisse bei Guaya- 

 quil 5, 1879 (Cauca); id. Ichthyol. Beitr. viii, 54 (Surinam); id. 

 Flussfische Siidam. iv, 4, 1882 (Rio Amazonas, Iquitos). 



P seudoplaty stoma fasciatum Bleeker, Nederl, Tijdschr. Dierk. 1863, 

 97 (name only); id. Silures de Suriname, 72, 1864 (Surinam); 

 Eigenm. & Eigenm. Proc. Cal. Acad. 2d Ser. i, 138, 1888 

 (Obidos; Coary; Hyavary). 



Platystoma truncatum Agassiz, Gen. & Spec. Pise. Brazil, 27, plate 

 xiiia. 1829 (Rio Japi;ra & Solimoens). (Plain, dorsal and caudal 

 spotted); Cuv. & Val., Hist. Nat. Poiss. xv, 20, 1840 (Brazil); 

 Hyrtle, Denk. Ak. Wien. xvi, 17, 1859 (vertebriB 13+33); Giiu- 

 ther. Cat. Fish. Brit. Mus. v, 108, 1864 (copied). 



Platystoma pu7ictifer Castelnau, Anim. Nonv. Rares de I'Amer. du 

 Sud, 40, pl. xix, fig. 2, 1855 (Amazon). 



Habitat: Amazons and streams north of it. ■ 



The color markings in this, as in the nearest related 

 species, are very conspicuous in certain individuals; 

 those about .40 m. long seem to have the color most dis- 

 tinct. In the smallest and largest specimens the black 

 bars are scarcely evident, and the light bars are faint. 

 Platystoma truncatum Agassiz, was based on a specimen 

 .90 m. long, and is doubtless the old ioxw^ .oi fasciatus 

 or one of its varieties. 



It is doubtful whether the extreme old of the varieties 

 can be told apart. 



Platystoma 2^unctifeA' Castelnau does not differ from 

 specimens of fasciatus. 



Body long, slender, terete. Head long, depressed, 

 scarcely narrowed towards the snout; its width at the 

 angle of the mouth 1^ in its greatest width, 2| in its 

 length. 

 14 



