SPOTTED SHINER. 859 



80. Erimyst^x DISSIMILI3 (Kirtland) Jordan. 



Spotted Shiner. 



Lvxilus diseimiHs, Kirtland, Boston Journ. Nat. Hist., v, 1840, 341. 



Ceraiichthys diasimilia, Copb, Proo. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1864, 277; Cyp. Penn., 1866, 



368.— GusTHBK, Cat. Fishes Brit. Mud , vii, 177.— Jordajs, Mau. Vert., 2d Ed., 1878, . 



300, and of writers generally. 



Description. — Body long and slender, little compressed, with long oandal peduncle ; 

 head long, rather flat above, the snout somewhat bluntly deourved, projecting a little 

 beyond the rather small horizontal mouth ; lower jaw included ; both jaws with the 

 skin hard in front, forming a sort of tip laterally ; barbels considerably shorter than 

 pupil; maxillary not reaching nearly to orbit; eye very large, high up, somewhat 

 directed upward, rather behind the middle of the head, forming more than one-third 

 the length of the head ; opercle small ; dorsal rather large, its posterior border oblique ; 

 anal small ; caudal well forkea ; pectoral rather long ; scales rather large, twenty- two 

 in front of dorsal ; lateral line nearly straight ; olivaceous, sides silvery, with a bluish 

 lateral banJ, which is widened into several dnsky spots, formed by dark pnnotutations 

 and most distinct posteriorly ; a dusky band on head, through eyes and snout, fins plain ; 

 head 4^ ; depth S^; D. 8; A. 7 ; scales 6-47-5 ; teeth 4-4. Length 5 inches. 



Habitat, Ohio Valley and Like region. 



Diagnosis. — This species may be known by the long and slender body 

 and the peculiar coloration, the bluish black lateral blotches being found 

 in no other of our species. 



Habits. — This species seeks large bodies of water, being most abundant 

 in the lakes and in the channels of the large streams. I have never seen 

 it in small brooks, and it is seldom taken in the rivers in small seines, 

 except at very low water. It reaches a considerable size for a minnow 

 and as it takes the hook, it is frequently seen on the small boy's "string 

 of fish " along the Ohio. According to Dr. Kirtland it is often used to 

 " bait the hook on 's«W' lines. " 



Gbsus 40. CERATICHTHYS. Baird. 



Ceratichthya, Baird, 1853. — Girard, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1856, 212, and of authors. 

 Syhopsis, Agassiz, Am. Journ. Sci. Arts, 1854, 358. 

 Nocomis, Copb, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1856, 190. 

 Erinemut, Jordan, Man. Vert., Ifc76, 279. 



Type, Semotilas biguttatus, Kirt. 



Etymology, ieras, horn; ichthua, fish. 



Form varioQS ; mouth terminal or inferior, with lips thin or somewhat fleshy ; a conspic- 

 uous barbel terminal on the maxillary; premaxillaiies projectile; teeth 4-4 or 1, 4-4, 1 

 or 0, hooked, without grinding surface ; scales rather large ; lateral line continuous ; 

 dorsal fin inserted over, in front of, or slightly behind yentrals ; anal basis short ; size and 

 coloration various. 



A large genus embracing a wide range of forms. Of the numerous species, but two 

 have as yet been found in Ohio. These two bear little resemblance to each other, and 

 may may be taken as representatives of distinct snbgeneia. 



