CTPRINODONT FISHES, 1005 



from Guatemala tJiere is, as a rule, no strong lateral stripe 

 {guentheri)'. 



Xiphophorus rachovii Regan (Ann. Mag. N"at. Hist. (8) viii. 

 1911, p. 373), from Puerto Barrios, Guatemala, has a pair of 

 black spots at the base of the caudal fin ; other examples received 

 later from Puerto Barrios lack these spots, but are not very 

 different in other respects. Whether this is another variety of 

 X. helleri or a hybrid with Platypcecilus maculatus^ as some 

 aquarium-writers in Germany believe, still remains to be settled. 



3. Xiphophorus brevis. 



Regan, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. (7) xix. 1907, p. 65, and Biol. 

 Centi\-Amer., Pisces, p. 108, pi. xiv. figs. 8, 9. 



Dorsal 13-15. Anal 9-10. Scales 27. Depth ^ to 2| in 

 length, length of head 34 to 3|. No strong lateral stripe. 



British Honduras. 



23. PcECiLiA Schneider, 1801. 



Bloch's Syst. Ichth. p. 452. 



Pmcilia (part.) Giinth. Cat. Fish. vi. p. 339 (1866); Garman, 

 Mem. Mus. Oomp. Zool. xix. 1895, p. 52. 



Mouth small, transverse ; teeth slender, curved, expanded 

 towards the tip, spoon- or oar-shaped, forming a series with a 

 band of minute teeth within ; bones of lower jaw loosely con- 

 nected. Pelvic tins in male enlarged, the second ray prolonged. 

 Intromittent organ short, its tip protected anteriorly by a cuta- 

 neous hood ; first prolonged ray without terminal spine, with 

 several segments not far from the end forming acute serrations ; 

 last ray simple, withou.t appendages (text-fig. 173 A-C). 



As now restricted this genus only includes four (or five) 

 species from South America. 



Synopsis of the Species. 



I. Dorsal 7-9; origin nearly above that of anal 1. vivipara. 



II. Dorsal 6-7. 

 Origin of dorsal above posterior end of anal : nsuall}' a dark spot 



above pectoral, equidistant from head and dorsal fin 2. pares. 



Origin of dorsal above middle or posterior part of anal ; a dark 

 spot on each scale and dark stripes between the series of 



scales on sides of body 3. pida. 



Origin of dorsal above middle of anal ; a blackish spot or bar 



at base of caudal fin 4. hranneri. 



1. P(EciLiA VIVIPARA. (Text-fig. 173 C.) 



Poecilia vivipara Sclmeid. Bloch's Syst. Ichth. p. 452, pi. Ixxxvi. 

 fig. 2 (1801) ; Giinth. Cat. Fish. vi. p. 344 (1866) ; Garman, Mem. 

 Mus. Comp. Zool. xix. 1895, p. 53. 



Paecilia schneideri Yal. in Humboldt, Obs. Zool. ii. p. 159 

 (1828); Cuv. & Val. Hist. Nat. Poiss. xviii. p. 135 (1846). 



Proc. Zool. See— 1913, No. LXYII. 67 



