Body relatively short, robust, and compressed posteriorly, but fairly broad at base of 

 the pectoral fins. Head large, its mean length comprising 34% SL and its mean 

 width 25% SL. Mouth subterminal, the upper jaw not greatly extending in front of 

 lower; gape gently curved and parabolic. Nuchal shield broad, smoothly contoured 

 on dorsal surface. Fontanelle short, evident as an opaque ellipse at midhne in front 

 of orbits. Eye large (15% HL), sublateral, covered by thin unpigmented skin. 

 Anterior nares remote from margin of upper lip, above posterolateral edge of 

 maxillary. Posterior nares well separated from anterior pair, bordering lateral edges 

 of frontals and about even with anterior point of each groove above upper lip. 

 Maxillary barbels short and fihform, not reaching past rictus, and ossified only at 

 base in all specimens examined. Top of head with numerous short, dendritic 

 acousticolateralis canals terminating at surface as small pores. Premaxillary and 

 dentary tooth bands thin, equal in width at midline as along remaining portions. 

 Teeth long, sharp, recurved. Gill membranes fused to isthmus at a point even with 

 or just behind a plane passing through the center of the eye. Gill rakers short and 

 conical. i v ' ' v^ \/ ? 



First principal lepidotrichium of dorsal fin very weak, segmented, 

 unbranched, and unserrated, not forming a stiffened osseus spine. Pectoral fin 

 large, broadly rounded on distal margin, reaching to or beyond origin of pelvic fin. 

 First pectoral lepidotrichium like that of dorsal fin, unserrated and flexible. 

 Postcleithral process absent (Ferraris [1988] reported a spine in one juvenile 

 individual, but none of the specimens examined in this study had one). Pelvic fins 

 large, roughly triangular, reaching past front of anal fin. Base of anal fin short, 

 distal margin of fin straight, rounded at ends of anterior and posterior rays. Caudal 

 fin distinctly emarginate, asymmetrical, with 8+10 principal rays, 18-20 upper 

 procurrent rays (modally 20), and 17-19 lower procurrent rays (modally 17). 



