toward the pelvic fin base. Both stripes on the sides of the body are extremely 

 variable, and may range from relatively few, scattered blotches, to a series of - - 

 prominent spots extending the length of the body, or, in the case of the sublateral 

 pair, to a point above the pelvic fin base. In heavily pigmented specimens, the 

 entire dorsum and upper half or more of the sides are heavily spotted or reticulated. 



Dorsal fin pallid or with a few irregular spots. Adipose fin with scattered 

 brown flecks at base and along distal margin. Caudal fin with a broad band over 

 middle of rays, frequently broken into large, crescentic spots in each lobe, with 

 scattered flecks radiating posteriorly. Pigment at base of upper lobe continuous 

 with pigment on top of caudal peduncle. Anal fin immaculate, or with scattered 

 flecks and a dark marginal band. Paired fins ranging from immaculate to spotted or 

 streaked on upper surface. Venter normally unpigmented. 



Distribution 



Ageneiosus pardalis is the only trans-Andean species of the family, occurring 

 in western and southern tributaries of Lake Maracaibo, Venezuela, and ranging 

 westward in the major lowland drainages to southern Panama, including the Rfo 

 Atrato, Rfo San Juan, Rio Magdalena, and Rfo Cauca (Fig. 44). The significance of 

 the distribution of A, pardalis is discussed in greater detail in the section on 

 zoogeography of the family. 



Etymolog y 



From the Latin pardalis, meaning a female panther, an allusion to the 

 reticulated or spotted pattern of the head and body. 



