FISHES OF THE FAMILY LOEICAEIID2E. 259 



12. XEXOCARA STIG1IATICA. 



Ancistrus stigmaticus Eigenni. & Eigenm. Proc. Cal. Ac. (2) ii. 1889, p. 48; Occ. Pap. Cal. Ac. i. 

 1890, p. 446. 



Depth of body about 5 times in the total length, length of head 2^-2f times. 

 Head 14 — 3^ times as long as broad and twice as long as deep. Diameter of eye 

 S-104, times in the length of head, length of snout about 1-f times, interorbital width 

 2-|— 2f times. Length of mandibular ramus lf-lf times in the interorbital width. 

 Snout with tentacles. Interoperculum armed with 20-30 spines, the longest 4-5 times 

 in the length of head. 23-24 scutes in-a longitudinal series, 7 between dorsal and 

 adipose fin, 11-13 between anal and caudal. D. I 7, the first ray f-f the length of 

 head, the last, when laid back, separated by 1 or 2 scutes from the spine of the 

 adipose fin ; length of base of dorsal equal to its distance from adipose fin. A. I 3 

 (rarely I 4). Pectoral spine extending to middle of ventral (in adults). Caudal 

 obliquely truncate, the lowest ray about f the length of head. Caudal peduncle 

 24/-2f times as long as deep. Olivaceous, with light spots on head and body ; fins 

 blackish, sometimes with light spots, sometimes an indistinct dark spot at the base of 

 the first interradial membrane of the dorsal. 



Total length 175 mm. 



Fifteen specimens from the River Mogy-guassu, about 250 miles inland of Santos, 

 Brazil, a locality intermediate between those from which Eigenmann has recorded 

 this species, viz., San Matheos and Goyaz. 



7. PSEUDACANTHICUS. 



Rinelepis (part.) Cuv. & Val. Hist. Nat. Poiss. xv. p. 479 ( 1840). 

 Hypostomus (part.) Cuv. & Val. t. c. p. 489. 

 I'seudacanthicus Bleek. Ned. Tijd. Dierk. i. 1863, p. 79. 

 Chattostomus (part.) Gunth. Cat. Fish. v. p. 240 (1864). 



Hemiancistrus (part.) Eigenm. & Eigenm. Proc. Cal. Ac. (2) ii. 1889, p. 43, and Occ. Pap. Cal. Ac. 

 i. 1890, p. 417. 



This genus is distinguished from Ancistrus by the structure of the mouth, the 

 premaxillaries being much shorter than the dentaries and very firmly united, their 

 teeth forming an undivided series. Scutes of the nuchal region small and numerous. 

 D. 18. A. I 5. Vertebras 5-f-8-j-lG (in P. serratus). 



R. Amazon ; Guiana. 



In all the species the supraoccipital lacks a distinct ridge, the supraorbital edges 

 are slightly raised, and the interoperculum is armed with some strong spines. The 

 head, body, and fins are rough, covered with short spines ; each scute of the body has 

 a median series of 2-6 stronger spines, which increase in length to the last. The 

 lower surface of the head and the abdomen are naked. An adipose fin is constantly 

 present. 



