342 Fretp Museum or Natura History — Zootocy, Vor. X. 
47. Genus Cichlasoma Swainson. 
Cichlasoma Swainson, Nat. Hist. Class. Fishes, Amph. and Rept., IT, 
1839, 230 (type Sciena bimaculata Linnzus). 
Theraps Ginther, Cat. Fish. Brit. Mus., IV, 1862, 284 (type Theraps 
irregularis Ginther). 
Parapetenia Regan, Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist., Ser. 7, XVI, 1905, 324 
(type Acara adspersa Ginther). 
Body ovate to oblong, compressed; mouth rather small to teree 
premaxillary moderately protractile, the maxillary slipping under the 
preorbital; fold of the lower lip continuous or not; teeth conical, to 
slightly compressed in a few species; a few anterior teeth canine-like in 
species with large mouths; anal spines IV to XI. 
To this genus belong many species, some are deep, others more or 
less elongate. In many of the species the mouth is small, the gape 
horizontal or nearly so, and the anterior teeth conical to slightly com- 
pressed. In others the mouth is terminal, oblique, and with some of 
the anterior teeth enlarged and canine-like. The efforts to break this 
group into several genera or subgenera have not met with much success, 
since the characters on which they have been based are too variable and 
overlap. Only five species are known to occur in central and eastern 
Panama. ; 
KEY TO THE SPECIES. 
a. The outer series of teeth in the jaws somewhat enlarged, and 
regularly increased in size anteriorly; mouth small or moderate; 
the maxillary not reaching past vertical from anterior margin of 
eye, 
b. Lower lip narrow, its margin not free at symphasis; teeth all 
sharply pointed. 
ce. A large black blotch present at base of caudal, and daunien with 
another large black blotch on sides under tips of pectorals; sides 
without distinct cross-bars; lateral band present only in very 
young; scales in lateral series 31 to 33; lower lateral tine on 
third row of scales below upper lateral line. 
maculicauda, p. 343. 
ce. Young with cross-bars; adults with a single series of black 
blotches along middle of sides; spot at base of caudal com- 
paratively small; black dots on rows of scales, forming dark 
lines; scales in lateral series 34 to 41; lower lateral line present 
on fifth row of scales below upper lateral line; 6 or 7 rows of 
scales between lateral line and base of anterior dorsal spines; 
anal with 6 or 7 spines. tuyrense, Pp. 344. 
a a 
