FISHES OF MINNESOTA 69 



Genus ETHEOSTOMA Eaflnesque. 

 KEY TO THE SPECIES OF ETHEOSTOMA. 



A. Lateial line complete. 



B. Anal spines 2; cheeks and opercles sc^ly; hody slender; 

 dorsal fin X-11; scales 50; no distinct dark spots 



along the series ofscales zonale, 69 



AA. Lateral line generally incomplete; ventral fins close together; first 

 dorsal and anal very small; anal spines 2; lower jaw not 

 projecting; dorsal fins well separated. 

 B. Shoulder without a distinct scale-like process. 



C. 4 to 7 rows of scales above the lateral line. 



D. Cheeks and opercles scaly; scales small, about 



60 in the lateral line lowse, 70 



DD. Cheeks not entirely scaly, nearly naked; opercles 

 scaly, scales large, about 48 in the lateral line; 

 males with red and blue cross bars. . coeruleum, 70 

 BB. Shoulder with a distinct black process or scale. 



C. Cheeks and opercles naked; lower jaw projecting; 

 dorsal spines low, each projecting in a small fleshy 

 knob in the male flabellare, 71 



Etheostoma zonale (Cope). 



Upper parts* olivaceous, lower parts yellowish; six dark spots 

 on the back, these connected by alternate spots with the broad, 

 brown lateral band; eight narrow bluish bands, alternating with 

 the brown, which extend down on the belly; all of the fins, except 

 the dorsal, golden yellow, spotted with brown; middle of the 

 spinous dorsal crimson; some round crimson spots at the base of 

 the soft dorsal ; top of the head, a line on the snout and one below 

 the eye black ; a black spot on the opercle and one at the base of the 

 pectoral fins; females with the bright colors more indistinct. 

 Body slender, compressed; head small and short; mouth small and 

 somewhat inferior; snout short and decurved, rather blunt; teeth 

 not well developed; dorsal fins well separated; second dorsal 

 higher and shorter than the first, but larger than the anal. Head 

 contained 4 to 5 times' in the length. Depth 5 to 6. Dorsal X or 

 Xl-iO to 12. Anal II^ 6 to 8. Scales 6-48 to 53-9, present on the 

 cheeks, opercles and back of the neck ; breasf; , generally naked. 

 Length 3 inches. 



Not common in the state. A few specimens have been taken 

 from the Blue Earth River at Mankato (Cox, 1891-2). 



