FISHES OF EL SALVADOR 
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3. Galeichthys guatemalensis (Giinther) 
Bagre 
Arius guatemalensis Gunther, Cat. Fish. Brit. Mus., V, 1864, 145 (Guatemala). 
TacMsurus guatemalensis Eigenmann and Eigenmann, Proc, Cal. Ac. Sci., 2ser., I, 1888, 43, and Occ. Pap., Cal. Ac. Sci., 1890, 81. 
Galeichthys guatemalensis Jordan and Evermann, Bull., U. S. Nat. Mus., XLVII, 1898 , 2778; Began, Biol. Cent. Amer., Pisces, 
1907, 123. 
Head 3.3 to 4.1; depth 4.3 to 6.2; D. I, 7; A. 17 to 19. 
Body about as broad as deep at origin of dorsal, moderately compressed pos- 
teriorly; caudal peduncle rather long, its depth 3.65 to 4.8 in head; head broad, 
depressed, flat above; snout very broad, its length 2.75 to 3.7 in head; eye 4.5 to 8; 
interorbital 1.8 to 2.3; mouth very broad; upper jaw strongly projecting; teeth 
pointed, the band in upper jaw continuous, the one in lower jaw separated at 
symphysis, extending laterally well past the angle of mouth and ending in a sharp 
point; vomerine patches well separated from each other and from the larger palatine 
patch by a line and slight constriction; maxillary barbel scarcely reaching margin 
of opercle in adult, past base of pectoral in small specimens (150 millimeters and 
less in length); gill rakers, 11; distance from snout to dorsal 2.4 to 3 in length; 
upper surface of head granular in adult, almost smooth in young, occipital process 
a little longer than broad; fontanel scarcely produced in a groove, appearing as an 
elongate pit slightly behind a straight line drawn between the posterior margin of 
the eyes; dorsal fin small, its origin usually about equidistant from tip of snout 
and origin of adipose, the spine about three-fourths the length of the longest rays, 
1.7 to 2.1 in head; adipose fin small, its base 3.1 to 4 in head; caudal fin deeply 
forked, the upper lobe the longer, pointed; anal fin moderate, its origin under or a 
little posterior to that of the adipose, its base 1.75 to 2.8 in head; ventral fins shorter 
than pectoral, thickened, and somewhat longer in the female than in the male, 
usually inserted a httle nearer end of anal base than base of pectoral spine; pectoral 
spine with barbs on the inner edge, 1.6 to 1.8 in head. 
Color, bluish dusky above; sides silvery; pale underneath; vertical fins all 
dusky, the anal sometimes partly pale; paired fins black on inner sides. 
Thirteen specimens, ranging from 88 to 395 millimeters in length, were pre- 
served. The largest individual taken measured 560 millimeters in length, which, 
according to local fishermen, is about the maximum size attained. Measurements 
and proportions were obtained from this fish and are included in the description. 
This fish, which is known as "bagre" throughout the Republic, although belonging 
to a salt-water genus of catfishes, appears to have become fresh water in its habits, 
at least in El Salvador, where it is one of the important commercial species caught 
in the rivers and in some of the lakes. It was not taken in any of the lakes having 
no outlet (unless the statement that Lake Metapan has an underground connection 
with Lake Guija should prove to be erroneous), and consequently it does not appear 
to have become definitely landlocked, the distribution apparently being such that 
it can retreat to the sea at will. Falls of considerable size are present in the Rio 
San Miguel, which receives the water from Lake Olomega and carries it to the sea, 
and no other marine species were seen in the lake nor in that river above the falls. 
It may be, however, that this catfish is able to ascend the falls and that it reaches 
