Preli7ni?iary Descriptions of Characinidce. 7 



PRELIMINAR Y DESCRIPTIONS OF NEW SPECIES 

 AND GENERA OF CHARACINIDAE. 



CURIMATINAE. 



South American Characinidae with greatly convoluted intesti- 

 nal canal, short dorsal fin, and imperfect dentition. Limnopha- 

 gons. 



Division I. Teeth nour. 



Psectrogaster gen. nov. — Post ventral region trenchant, the 

 scales of each side with a narrow margin bent over the ventral 

 ridge and terminating medially in a spiniform process. Preventral 

 region rounded, predorsal region scaled. Scales 50-60. Typr. 



Psectrogaster rhomboides sf. nov. — ? Curimatus cyprinoides, 

 Steind. Flussfische Sudam. II 34, 188 1 (Rio Putz). Types: Nos. 

 20,303, 20,30]. and 20,306. Over fifty specimens collected by O. 

 St. John in the Rio Putz. No. 20,310, one specimen from San 

 Goncallo. 



It is our opinion that Dr. Strindachner erroneously identified 

 specimens with a serrate belly with the Salmo cyprinoids 

 Linnaeus. But whether cyprinoides has a serrate belly or not, the 

 specimens from the Rio Putz are quite different from those from 

 the Amazon, to which the name cyprinoids would have to be 

 restricted. Air bladder tapering backward, its tip extending to 

 origin of anal fin. Origin of dorsal about equidistant between 

 tip of snout and base of upper caudal fulcra. Depth 2^-2 3-5. 

 Lat 1. 53-58. 



Psectrogaster amozonica sp. nov. — Types: many specimens 

 from Teffe, lea, Tabatinga; Obidos, Fonteboa, Lago Alexo, 

 Jutahy, Tonantins, Sautarem, Hyavary, Curnpira. Air bladder 

 attennate backward, its tip reaching the end of the anal fin. 

 Origin of dorsal about equidistant from tip of snout, and from 

 tip to adipose fin. Depth about 2%. Lat. 1. 49-56. 



Curimatopsis microlepis sf. nov. — Type: No. 20,344. One 

 specimen collected by M. Navez at Jatuarana. Lateral line 

 developed on about twelf scales. Anterior dorsal rays prolonged, 

 reaching adipose fin. 



Light brown with iridescent metalic reflections. Margins of 

 the jaws and inner surface of the lower jaw dark brown. Head 

 3^3; depth 2 %-2,}i' D. 11-12; A. 11. Lat. 1. 60. 



The only other known species of this genus has but 30 scales 

 in the lateral line. 



Curimatus. 



1. Species with the caudal scaled to its tip. Curimatus serpae 

 sp. nov. Types. No. 20,320 four specimens from Serpa. 



Predorsal region sharply keeled to the occipital crest. Head 



