NEW GENUS OF DARTER FROM WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA 
107 
Ar p, a. before dorsal and extending back close to base of dorsal as far as the third 
or fourth spine naked of scales. Belly scaled posteriorly, anterior one-half to two- 
thirds naked but with indications of caduceous plates. Head, cheeks, and opercles 
entirely naked. 
Lateral line running high anteriorly, nearly complete; pores 36-38, none on last 
10 or 12 scales. 
Dorsal fins close together; first dorsal low, about one-half of second, its base 
relatively long because of wide spaces with membrane between the short stiff spines ; 
base of first dorsal less than 5 in length of body (or about the same as with other 
darters having double the number of spines), corresponding to about 12 rows of 
scales. 
Anal fin a little smaller than second dorsal. In the type there is a single rela- 
tively stout anal spine, followed by 8 rays, the first ray being simple but articulate; 
in the larger paratype, which is of the same size as the type, there are two spines of 
Fig. 1 . — Ricliiella brevispina, gen. nov., sp. nov. (From the type. Length, 46 millimeters.) 
equal length, the second feebler than the first, which is less stout than the single 
spine of the type; the other paratype conforms with the larger paratype, the spines 
being feebler than in the larger fish, as would be expected; in each of the paratypes, 
as in the type, the spines are followed by 8 rays, of which the first is simple. 
Ventral fins not widely separated, space between fins being slightly less than 
one-half of base of fin. 
Color in alcohol . — Ground straw color, finely stippled with dark brown; sides 
crossed by 7 or 8 dark brown bars extending (usually) a little below the lateral line, 
width of bands being less than eye, and width of space between bands being about 
twice width of bands. Fins without conspicuous markings, distal parts of membranes 
between dorsal spines each with spot of dark olive. Caudal with 5 or 6 irregular 
reticulated vertical bars of olive green. A dark horizontal streak through eye and a 
similar streak extending downward vertically from eye. No pale stripes. 
