374 
BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF FISHERIES 
Pigmentation. — The back is tessellated similar to Boleosoma and Hadropterus 
with small zebralike markings, but the brown patches along lateral line are more 
linear and form a lateral band, somewhat interrupted. Along dorsal ridge the brown 
spots are large and obvious, and a black streak extends forward from eye to snout. 
Very few chromatophores occur on fins, except for a small inklike spot at base of 
caudal, and a black spot on anterior rays of spinous dorsal. 
BREEDING 
Greeley (1929) took ripe males on June 11 in the riffles about a quarter of a mile 
from the mouth of Eighteen Mile Creek. 
44. Boleosoma nigrum nigrum (Rafinesque). Johnny darter. £ Boleosoma nigrum 
(Rafinesque). Jordan, Evermann, Clark, p. 287.] 
RECORD OF CAPTURE 
On June 11, 1928, a small mass of eggs assigned to this species was found 
attached to an empty clam shell caught in a torn gill net floating near Sturgeon Point. 
Figure 104. — Boleosoma nigrum nigrum, immediately after hatching, 5 millimeters. (Drawn from live specimen) 
Between June 12 and August 8, specimens ranging from 5.5 to 35 millimeters were 
taken near shore between Buffalo and Dunkirk in Helgoland trawls towed at 7 to 
25 meters. (Figures 105-109.) No young were taken in 1929 in the eastern part 
of Lake Erie but a few eggs and numerous young shortly after hatching were taken 
on June 29 in shallow water at the western end. Adults are commonly found in 
weedy places alongshore. 
DESCRIPTION 
The inferior mouth with characteristic protruding snout, large eye, and myomere 
count of 15 plus 19 to 22, distinguish the earlier stages. The protractile premaxil- 
laries and single anal spine mark the later ones further. 
Egg . — Diameter of living egg 1.4 to 1.5 millimeters, with an oil globule lying 
ventral to embryo in yolk; not perfectly round but flattened by adhesion to others; 
all with late embryos, opaque white except for black eyes. 
Newly-hatched larva . — Total length, 5.0; length to vent, 2.25; diameter of eye, 
0.4 millimeter. Myomeres, 11 to vent plus 22 behind (very incomplete). Large 
yellowish oil globule lying at ventral margin of large yolk sac; short intestine ter- 
minating just behind yolk, at margin of fin and free from body; embryonic marginal 
fin fold originating directly behind head, low and even around lophocercal tail; pec- 
torals developed; colorless except for black and silvery eye. 
