Jordan and Evermann. Fishes of North America. 119 



Mexico to liahia, a doubtful species, placed by Eigenmanu with F. fila- 

 u ntoHtis, as synonym of F. marinus. 



tlulrii-hthiis biiJiii-Hxis, CABTLENAtr, Anim. Amer. Sud., 37, 1855, Bahia. 

 dibtrichtkyg longispmu, GI?NTHER, Cat., v, 178, 1864, Mexico; South America. 



69 to 74. GALEICHTHYS, Cuvier & Valenciennes 

 (SEA CATFISH.) 



TV/i//.wn(s, LArKPKPK, Hist. Nat. Poise., v, 151, 1803, (chinensis). 



<}<ih-i<WiiiK, (YviER & VALENCIENNES, xv, 28, 1840, (felieeps, etc.) 



Arinx, CuviER & VALENCIENNES, /. c., 52, (grandicassis, anus, etc.) (Restricted to arius by Bleeker 



in l85S)-=Tachy8nrtis. 



Ariodcs, MI'LLEII & TROSCHEL, IIora> Ichthyol., in, 9, 1849, (arenarius, etc.) (= Tachysunis. ) 

 Hexanemalichthit*, BLEEKEU, Ichthyol. Archip. Indici Siluri, 01, 1858, (sondaicus). 

 Cephalocassis, BLEEKER, /. c., 62, (melanochir). (=Hexanemutichlhys.) 

 Xetinna, BLEEKER, I.e., 02, (nasiit'i). 



(iHtrHinga, BLEEKER, 1. c., 62, (commersoni). (=^\ T e(tima.). 

 Sciadeichthys, BLEEKER, 1. c., 62, (emphysetus). 

 Selenaspis, BLEEKEII, 1. c., 62, (herzbergii). 



Hemiarins, BLEEKER, Nederl. Tijdskr. Dierk., i, 1802. 90, (slormi). (=Hexanematichthy8.) 

 Fsettddrins, BLEEKER, I. c., 91, (arias; grandicassis beiug regarded us type uf Arius}. (=Tachymrus.) 

 Leptarius, GILL, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1863, 170, (dowi). (=Selenaspis.) 

 Ariopsis, GILL, I. c., (milberti=feli8). (=Hexunemalichthys.) 

 Notdriw, GILL, /. c., (grandicassis). (Netuma.) 



Body more or less elongate, subterete. Head armed with a bony shield 

 above, behind which projects an occipital shield; another smaller shield 

 at the base of the dorsal spine; these shields usually distinct but some- 

 times covered by the skin as in Felichthys. Skull with a fontanelle. 

 Mouth not large, the upper jaw the longer. Teeth villiform or granular, 

 in a band in each jaw ; teeth in 1 or 2 patches each on the vomer and 

 palatines, all of them sometimes confluent into one band; the palatine 

 teeth never movable. Barbels 6 (the nostrils without barbel), close 

 together, the posterior with a valve; maxillary barbels usually short and 

 terete or somewhat compressed. Eyes with a more or less free orbital 

 margin, the upper edge sometimes aduate. Dorsal fin short, in front of 

 the ventrals, with a pungent spine and about 7 rays; adipose fin well 

 developed, posteriorly free; caudal fin deeply forked; anal fin short; 

 pectorals each with a spine ; ventral rays 6. Skin smooth, naked, except 

 on the occipital and nuchal regions, where it is usually confluent with 

 the surface of the bony bucklers. Marine catfishes. Species very num- 

 erous on sandy shores in the tropical seas, never about coral reefs. This 

 group has been treated as one genus by Giinther, Eigenmann, and Jordan 

 & Gilbert. It seems to us more natural to separate the American species 

 into several genera, which is done in the descriptive text below, too late 

 for insertion in the key. (ra^f, swift ; ovpu, tail.) 

 GALEICHTHYS,* (yaAr), weasel ; tx^u?, fish): (genus 69.) 



a. Head and occiput entirely covered by flesh and skin ; occipital process sparingly granu- 

 lated. 



*This analysis of species is condensed from that given by Eigenmann, S. A. Nematognathi, 

 43, and from that given by Jordan & Gilbert, Bull. U.S. Fish Com., 1882, 37. We omit from 

 this analysis all those species which have not as yet been found north of Guiana. The sub- 

 generic groups are recognized below as genera. 



