SOUTH AMERICAN NEMATOGNATHI. 379 



321. Loricaria teffeana. 



Loricaria tefcana Steiudachner, Deuk. Ak. Wieu, Ixi, 44, pi. vi, 

 1879 (Amazon, near Tefft^); Eigeum. &■ Eigenm. Proc. Cal. Acad. 

 2d Ser. ii, .39, 1889 (Cudajas; Touantins; Teflfe; Jutahy; Lago 

 Alexo; Tabatiuga). 



Habitat: Solimoens. 



Depth 1|-1| ill the width. Head depressed, its depth 

 2 in its length to upper angle of gill-opening, its width 

 equal to its length to upper angle of gill-opening. Occi- 

 pital with two parallel ridges in the young, which 

 diverge in the adult. 



An orbital notch of moderate size. Eye 21-35 ii^ 

 snout, 5^-7 in the head, li-lij in the interorbitai. 

 Snout moderately acute, its tip with a narrow naked 

 space. Teeth numerous, well developed; lower lip 

 fringed with rather long cirri. Breast with numerous 

 small plates; five longitudinal series of plates on the 

 belly; a rather large anal plate, bordered anteriorly by 3 

 plates, these three by 5 others. Nuchal plates bicarinate; 

 lateral keels uniting more or less completely on the 15th 

 lateral scute. 



Distance of dorsal fin from tip of snout 3^-31 in the 

 length; first dorsal ray higher than length of head. 

 Upper caudal ray produced, about 2^ in the length. 

 Height of anal, pectoral and ventral fins about equal, the 

 first ray of each thickened. 



Pores of the head blackish, a series of six surrounding 

 the eye, one pore near the anterior tip of the occipital 

 plate, other pores above the gill-opening and above the 

 nares. 



Color very variable: dark brown in young with six 

 blackish cross bands, the first and last narrowest; outer- 

 most caudal rays spotted, the rest of the fin black; tip of 

 dorsal fin black, the rays spotted; anterior rays of the 

 anal, ventral and pectoral spotted; two brownish spots 

 on the upper lip. Specimens .14 m. to base of caudal are 



