66 THE FISHES OF OHIO. 



Order: ISOSPONDYLJ. 



Family: Hiodontid^F,. 



Genus: Hiodon. 



Key to Species. 



A. Belly in front of ventrals carinated; dorsal with 9 developed rays. — alosoides.. 



AA. Belly in front of ventrals not carinated; dorsal of n or 12 developed rays. — tergisus. 



Hiodon alosoides (Rafinesque). 



Head 4 l / z \ depth 3^; eye 3^. D. 9; A. 32; scales 6-56-7. Body closely- 

 compressed, becoming deep in the adnlt, the ventral edge everywhere carin- 

 ated. Maxillary reaching middle of eye. Caudal peduncle rather stouter 

 than in H. tergisus, and the fin not so deeply forked; also, the pectorals are 

 longer and the ventrals shorter than in H. tergisus. Color bluish, sides 

 silver}^ with golden luster. Length 12 inches. 



Rare in Ohio, the range of the species being farther to the 

 west. A single specimen, taken in a fisherman's net in the Ohio 

 river, was recorded by Henshall for Hamilton County, 1888. 



Hiodon tergisus Le Sueur. Moon Eye ; Toothed Herring. 



Head 4^; depth 3; eye 3. D. 12; A. 28; scales 5-55-7. Body oblong,, 

 moderately compressed. Eye large, the maxillary barely reaching its mid- 

 dle. Pectoral fins not reaching ventrals, the latter just short of vent. Belly 

 somewhat carinated behind ventrals only. Color brilliantly silvery, olive- 

 shaded above. Length 12 inches. 



This species is confined to L,ake Erie and the Ohio river, and 

 the lower courses of their larger tributaries, but it is . common 

 where found. Rafinesque made four species of it, and reported 

 two of them for the Ohio as far as Pittsburg. Three of these 

 nominal species, H. clodalus, H. vernalis and H. tergisus, were 

 recognized by Kirtland in his 1838 report, but he afterward 

 dropped all but H. tergisus. " Common in the Ohio," Henshall, 

 1888; Eorain County, "common in the lake, ascending the 

 streams sometimes," McCormick, 1892 ; " below the dams in the 

 Maumee river at Defiance and Grand Rapids, at both places they 

 were very abundant," Kirsch, 1893 \ Ohio river at Bellaire, R. C_ 

 Osburn, 1900. 



