Jordan and Evermann. Fishes of North America. 2759 



fin ; its length enters 6J in the length, exclusive of the caudal, and when 

 bent back it reaches to the supernumerary caudal rays; the greatest 

 height nearly equals the length. The pectoral fins extend rather beyond 

 the base of the dorsal and exceed i of the length, exclusive of the caudal; 

 the spine equals that of the dorsal. The vcntrals are inserted midway 

 between the base of the pectoral spines and the axil of the anal, and 

 extend to the .origin of the anal. The fins are almost blackish." A 

 single specimen is in the collection of Captain Dow from Panama. The 

 type of tfciades troscheli is now lost. At our request, Dr. Gill has again 

 considered this description, in connection with the species now known 

 from the coast. He is positive that his type of troscheli had the large 

 dorsal shield characteristic of brandtii. Apparently Dr. Eigenmann is 

 right in regarding troxchcli and brandlii as identical. 



166. SCIADEICHTHYS EMPHYSETUS (Miiller <fc Troschel). 



Head 3i; depth 6. D. I, 7; A. 18. Closely related to Sciadeichthys 

 troscheli. Depth little greater than the width. Profile straight, less steep 

 than in S. troscheli. Depth of the head If in its length, its width 1. Top 

 of the head sparsely and coarsely granular, the granulation extending 

 forward only to middle of cheek ; fontanel bordered anteriorly by smooth 

 ridges; occipital process coarsely and closely granular, without a promi- 

 nent keel, its margins convex, its tips emarginate, not coossified with the 

 dorsal plate; dorsal plate shield-shaped, not keeled, its surface irregu- 

 larly pitted, its margin more finely graven, its length about 3| in the 

 head. In the specimen examined the dorsal plate seems to have been at 

 some time slightly broken in front, a small, narrow, sharp process of the 

 occipital process fitting into the split. Eye small, 3 in the snout, 11 in 

 the head, 5 in the interocular. Maxillary barbels flattened, reaching to 

 below middle or end of dorsal fin, postmentals not quite to base of pec- 

 torals. Upper jaw slightly projecting; all the teeth minute, villiform, 

 the vomerine patch emarginate in front and behind, joined to the sub- 

 triangular palatine patches ; pterygoid patches long-elliptical. Gill mem- 

 brane with a narrower free margin than in troscheli. Distance of dorsal fin 

 from tip of snout 2f in the length, the dorsal spine If in the head, granu- 

 lar in front, recurved teeth on its inner margin. Distance between the 

 dorsal and adipose fins 3f in the length ; adipose fin about as long as 

 the dorsal fin. Caudal deeply forked, the upper lobe longer, 3 in the 

 length ; anal little longer than high ; ventrals reaching nearly to the anal, 

 about 2 in the head; pectoral spine 1 in the head, its outer margin gran- 

 ular, the inner rather finely toothed. The skin on the dorsal surface 

 of the head and humeral region finely reticulate with mucous canals. 

 Yellowish brown, lighter below, the fins yellowish, finely puuctulate. 

 One specimen 0.51 m. Surinam. (Eigenmann & Eigenmann, Nematog- 

 nathi, 53.) 



