A Revision of the American Cichlidde. 61 Y 



instance, the species are divided into those with three and those 

 with more than three anal spines, a division which is purely artifi- 

 cial, but to be preferred over the division into those with 3 — 4, and 

 into those with more than 4 spines, since none of those with three 

 spines show any variations, while species with 4 spines, sometimes 

 as in the case of A. bimaculata, the type of Cichlasoma, have as 

 many as 6 anal spines. We are not aware that a type has ever 

 been appointed for this name. The Eeros severus, of Heckel, may 

 serve as such, since it is the first species described by Heckel, and 

 since three of his other species have been shown to be synonyms of 

 this species. 



The later names give little diflficulty. Hygrogonus, of Giinther, 

 is the exact synonym of Astronotus. The type of Hoplarchus was 

 always conceded a Heros (Cichlasoma). And Herichthys is based 

 on a northern species of Cichlasoma. 



For the species showing the peculiarities of Acara teti^amerus, 

 of Heckel, we propose the subgeneric name -ffiquidens. 



We have seen no advantage in retaining in this genus the other 

 forms which have sometimes been grouped with it. 



Astronotus (Astronotus) ocellatus (Agassiz). 



Lobotes ocellatus Agassiz, in Spix Selecta Gren. et Spec. Pise. Bras., 129, pi. 68, 



1829 (Brazil; Paraguay; Amazons; Guiana). 

 Astronotus ocellatus Swainson, Nat. Hist. Fish. Araph. Rept., 11, 229, 1839 (Spix 



plate 68) ; E. & E., Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., 1891, 68 (name). 

 Acara ocellata Steindachner, Beitr. Kenntn. Clirom. Amazonenstr., 17, 1875 



(Para ; Santarem ; Montalegre ; Coary ; Obidos ; Tonantins ; Teflfe ; 



Cudajas ; Rio Negro ; Rio Hyavary ; Rio Madeira ; Lake Hyanuary ; 



Lake Saraca, near Silva ; Lake Manacapuru). Cope, Proc. Amer. Phil. 



Soc, 1878, 697 (Peruvian Amazon). 

 Hygrogonus ocellatus Giinther, Cat. Fish. Brit. Mus., IV, 303, 1862 (copied). 

 Acara crassispinis Heckel, Fluss-Fische Brasiliens, 357, 1840 (Rio Paraguay, 



near Villa Maria and Cai9ara ; Rio Guapore, near Mattogrosso ; Rio 



Negro ; Rio Branco). 

 Cychla ruhro-ocellaia Rob. Schomburgk, Fishes of Guiana, II, 153, pi. x, 1852 



(British Guiana). 

 Acara compressus Cope, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1872, 256 (Ambyiacu). 



The specimens examined are from Brazil. 



Astronotus (iEquidens) tetraitierus (Heckel). 



Acara tetramerus Heckel, Fluss-Fische Brasiliens., 341, 1840 (Rio Branco). 

 Giinther, Cat. Fish. Brit. Mus., IV, 277, 1862 (Guiana ; Rio Branco). 

 Cope, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci., Phila., 1872, 255 (Ambyiacu). Steindach- 



