Jordan and Evermann. Fishes of North America. 131 



a 



baud of teeth 6 times as wide as deep; palatine patches \\ diame- 

 ters of eye in width and length. (Eigeimiauu.) Surinam to Maranhao. 

 This form is regarded by Eigeumann as a subspecies of the preceding. 

 As the two inhabit the same waters, phryyiatus should be either a distinct 

 species or an extreme of individual variation, (phrygiatus, embroidered 

 in gold.) 



Ariim pliryijixtns, CuviEE & VALENCIENNES, xv, 79, 1840, Cayenne. 

 Ariti* phi-iKji'itux, (IfNTHER, Cat., v, 156,1864. 

 Tai-hititrus ritgispinis phrygiatits, EIGENMANN, S. A. Nematognathi, 84,1890. 



74. TACHYSURUS, Lacepede. 

 197. TACHYSURUS NUCHALIS, (GUnther). 



Head 4 ; depth 5. D. I, 7; A. 21. Teeth on palate large, granular; no 

 teeth on vomer; occipital process triangular, as long as broad, obtusely 

 eeled; groove of fontanelle not reaching base of occipital process; pala- 

 e teeth in 2 subtriangular patches which sometimes meet in front ; 

 maxillary barbels nearly reaching tip of pectorals. Dorsal spine slightly 

 serrated on both edges 1 in head; adipose fin shorter than dorsal; pec- 

 toral spine as long as dorsal spine and stronger. Guiana. (Giinther.) 

 (nuchalis, pertaining to the nape.) 

 Arius nuchulis, GUNTHER, Cat., v, 171, 1864, British Guiana. 

 Tachisurus nuchalis, EIGENMANN, S. A. Nematognathi, 86, 1890. 



198. TACHYSURUS FISSUS, (Cuvier & Valenciennes). 



Head Sin length; maxillary barbels reaching almost to the middle of 

 the pectoral fin. Teeth on the palate granular; no teeth on vomer; gill 

 membrane not forming a free margin across the isthmus. Head broader 

 than high. Soft portions of the head not pitted. Surinam. (Eigenmann.) 

 (fisaus, split.) 



Ariusfissus, CUVIER & VALENCIENNES, xv, 107, 1840, Cayenne. 



Arius Jusut, Gt'NiHER, Cat., v, 172,1804. 



Tachisurus fissus, EIGENMANN, S. A. Nematognathi, 88, 1890. 



Ariutpwncticutatus, CUVIER & VALENCIENNES, xv, 108, 1840, Buenos Ayres. 



199. TACHYSURUS SPIXII, (Agassiz). 



Head 3 to 4; depth 5 to 5. D. I, 7; A. 21. Palatine bands without 

 backward prolongation. Teeth on the palate, granular ; no teeth on 

 vomer; gill membrane not forming a free margin across the isthmus. 

 Head broader than high, more than 3 in the length. Axillary pore much 

 smaller than nasal opening. Pectoral spine reaching halfway to the 

 posterior third of the ventrals, or shorter; upper jaw projecting; poste- 

 rior margin of the eye about in the middle of the head. Occipital pro- 

 cess greatly narrowed behind, its width at tip not more than $ diame- 

 ter of eye. Teeth on the palate large, granular, 20 or fewer, some 

 of the posterior ones usually much enlarged. Body compressed; head 

 narrowed forward, fontanelle narrow ; not interrupted, continued as a 

 deep tapering groove to near .base of occipital process. Maxillary barbels 

 variable, long. Brownish above, silvery below, sometimes dotted. Coast 



If Guiana and Brazil, south to Santos; common. (Named for Jean Bap- 

 ste Spix, of Munich, explorer in Brazil.) 



