1054 Bulletin 47, United States National Museum. 



471. BOLEOSOMA, De Kay. 

 (TESSELLATED DARTERS.) 



Boleosoma, DE KAY, New York Fauna: Fishes, 20, 1842, (tessellatum =- olnistedi). 

 Arlina. GIRARD, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1859, 64, (e/ulgens). 

 Estrella, GIRARD, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1859, G5, (alromaculala). 

 Vaillantia, JORDAN, Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., xn, 89, 1878, (camurum). 



Body moderately elongate, fusiform, but slightly translucent. Head 

 small, narrowed forward, the profile convex. Mouth small, horizontal, 

 the lower jaw included ; premaxillary protractile. Maxillaries not adnate 

 to preorbital. Vomerine teeth present. Scales large ; lateral line con- 

 tinuous or interrupted behind ; belly with ordinary scales. Gill mem- 

 branes broadly or narrowly connected. Dorsal spines usually 9, very 

 slender and flexible ; soft dorsal much larger than anal ; anal normally 

 with a single, short, slender spine, the first soft ray simple, but articulate ; 

 ventrals well separated ; vertebrae (B. nigrum) 15 + 22 = 37. Pyloric cosca 

 3 to 6. Frontal region of skull very short and narrow ; parietal region 

 flattish above; no supraoccipital crest. Coloration olivaceous and 

 speckled, the males with inky black in spring; no red or blue. Size 

 small. Very active little fishes ; abounding among weeds in clear streams. 

 (/3oA(o, arrow, dart; ati/ua, body.) 

 BOLEOSOMA : 



a. Lateral line complete or very nearly so; pyloric coaca 6. 



6. Pectorals very long, % to % longer than head; opercles scaly; gill membranes some- 

 what connected. 



c. Snout about as long as eye; profile steep and nearly straight; scales about 43. 



LONGIMANUS, 1444. 

 cc. Snout shorter than eye; profile rounded; mouth small, inferior; scales about 37. 



POPOSTEMONE, 1445. 



bb. Pectorals moderate, about as long as head; body and fins speckled; male with the head 

 black in spring. 



d. Head more or less scaly; dorsal rays usually IX-12 to 14; scales 44 to 55. 



NIGRUM, 1446. 



dd. Head wholly naked; dorsal rays usually VIII-10; scales 45 to 60. SUSANJE, 1447. 

 VAILLANTIA * : 



aa. Lateral line ceasing near middle of body; pyloric cceca 3; cheeks and opercles scaly; 

 breast usually so; head speckled above. D. IX or X-10 or 11; A. I, 7 or I, 8; scales 

 about 56. CAMURUM, 1448. 



1444. BOLEOSOMA LONGIMANUS (Jordan). 



Head 4f ; depth 5. D. X-13 ; A. I, 8; scales 5-44-7. Body moderately 

 elongate, not much compressed ; head rather long, somewhat blunt anter- 

 iorly, convex above the eyes ; profile of the snout steep and nearly straight ; 

 premaxillaries protractile; lower jaw included; maxillaries reaching front 

 of orbit, about as long as eye, which is 4 in head, and about as long as 

 snout ; teeth rather strong ; gill membranes a little connected. Lateral 

 line complete ; scales rather large ; belly naked anteriorly, with ordinary 

 scales posteriorly. Cheeks naked ; opercles with some scales ; nape and 

 breast naked. Pectorals very long, reaching front of anal, about li times 



* Named for Leon Vaillant, ichthyologist of the museum at Paris, author of a most excellent 

 monograph of the Elheostomidte. 



