of the Island of Trinidad, W. I. 395 



The color is a brownish black, with a darker line along the 

 length of each plate. The naked skin of the abdomen is 

 slightly tinged with purple. The rays of the caudal fin are 

 barred with brownish black. 



It attains a length of about four inches. 



"We have taken pleasure in dedicating this species to Prof. 

 Rudolph Kner, who has contributed much to our knowledge 

 of the Callichthyinos, and other groups of Siluroids. 



Genus. 



HoPLOSTEKNTJM, GlLL. 



Body oblong, compressed, with the dorsal and abdominal 

 outlines nearly straight and parallel; the median line of the 

 back behind the first dorsal is naked, or protected by small 

 plates. 



Head broad, and moderately depressed. The interparietal 

 plate is little, if any, broader than long, and its posterior pro- 

 longation is short and obtuse ; nuchal plates broad, contiguous 

 along the median line for the greater portion of their length. 



Eyes moderate. 



Mouth small, with the gape subcircular ; the upper jaw is 

 little longer than the lower. The intermaxillaries, dentaries, 

 and vomer are destitute of perceptible teeth. 



Zips thin ; the lower is reflected backwards, and emarginated 

 in the middle ; at each angle of the mouth, there is a double 

 barbie as in Callichthys. 



Branehiostegal membrane consisting of three moderate rays, 

 and a small rudimentary one. 



Dorsals and anal with the same form and situation as in the 

 genus Callichthys. 



Caudal emarginate, or occasionally slightly rounded. 

 Ventrals with rounded margins. 



Humeral plates anteriorly, either simply contiguous or inter- 

 locking with each other on the breast; the internal borders 



