FISHES FROM MEXICO AMD CENTRAL AMERICA. 
157 
ray 1.2; pectoral 1.4; ventral 1.1; caudal 1.25. Body oblong-ovate, much compressed; dorsal profile 
strongly and regularly arched, slightly concave between anterior part of eyes; snout moderate; mouth 
moderate, jaws subequal, maxillary not nearly reaching ej^e; teeth in front of jaws strong, canine-like, 
somewhat recurved, tips brown; caudal peduncle much compressed, least width 2.5 in least depth; 
fins large; soft lobes of dorsal and anal reaching past middle of caudal; pectoral broad, scarcely reaching 
vent; ventrals pointed, reaching base of anal. 
Color, pale brownish, side with several more or less indistinct diffuse black blotches; a more or 
less ocellate black spot at base of caudal; pectoral pale, other fins dusky, the soft dorsal, anal and 
caudal with numerous obscure small black spots. 
This species resembles C. melanurus, but seems to differ in the somewhat deeper body, longersnout, 
and more spotted coloration on the caudal and soft dorsal and anal. 
48. Cichlasoma melanurus (Gunther). 
Four specimens, each about 8 inches long, 3 from Montecristo and 1 from Teapa. Head 3; depth 
2.2; eye 4.5; snout 2.4; preorbital 3.5; interorbital 2.75; premaxillary 4; mandible 2.75; D. xvii, 11; 
A. vi, 8; scales 6-33-12, 5 rows on cheek; longest dorsal spine about 2, ray 1.17; last anal spine 2.17, 
ray 1.2; pectoral 1.4; ventral 1, caudal 1. Body rather oblong, compressed, the back considerably 
elevated; snout short; anterior profile more or less concave, depending upon the development of the 
fatty nuchal hump; eye entirely above level of upper lip; mouth small, slightly oblique, jaws subequal; 
anterior teeth in jaws moderate-sized canines, brown at tip. 
Color, dirty white, marbled and blotched with darker, the dark tending to gather in irregular 
vertical bars; a more or less distinct ocellated black spot at base of caudal, this sometimes obscure; 
pectoral pale, other fins more or less dusky ; soft dorsal and anal black at base, the outer part pale. 
This species resembles C. parma, but seems to differ from it in the more slender body, the shorter 
snout, the more abrupt anterior profile and in the coloration. 
c. 
49. Heros afiinis Gunther. 
One specimen, 3.4 inches long, from Progreso. 
50 . Heros cyanoguttatus (Baird & Girard). 
One example, 8 inches long, from Montecristo. Head 3.2; depth 2; eye 4; snout 2; preorbital 3; 
interorbital 2.3; maxillary 3.5; mandible 2.75; D. xvi, 11; A. vi, 9; scales 6-30-11, Grows on cheek; 
longest dorsal spine 2.2, ray a little longer than head; last anal spine 2.25, ray 1.2; pectoral 1.2; ventral 
1; caudal 1. Body short and deep; head very short, anterior profile very high, gently curved from 
tip of snout to origin of dorsal; eye very high; mouth low, small, nearly horizontal; teeth rather small, 
canine-like in front of jaws, tijos slightly brown; soft dorsal and anal extending to or beyond middle of 
caudal. Color in alcohol, dirty white, blotched and spotted with black, the black most evident below 
lateral line; outer half of many of the scales black; middle of side with numerous small, irregular 
wavy lines and roundish pale spots, these probably blue in life; pectoral pale; the other fins dusky or 
even black, the ventrals and anal blackest. 
This species has not hitherto been reported from southern Mexico. 
51 . Heros urophthalmus Gunther. 
Head 2.9; depth 2; eye 4.3 (4 to 4.5); snout 2.6 (2.5 to 3) ; maxillary 2.67; mandible 2.25; inter- 
orbital 3; preorbital 4; D. xvi, 10; A. vi, 7 (v to vii, 6 to 8); scales 5-29-10, 5 rows on cheek; longest 
dorsal spine 2.25, ray 1.25; last anal spine 2.25, ray 1.4; caudal 1.4; pectoral 1.25; ventral 1.25. Body 
short and robust, compressed, the caudal peduncle deep and narrow; back considerably elevated, 
anterior profile concave between the eyes; no nuchal crest on any of the specimens examined; head 
large, snout rather long; mouth rather large, somewhat oblique; maxillary reaching orbit; jaws equal; 
teeth conic, the tips brown; scales large, smooth, lateral line complete, but dropping three rows under 
middle of soft dorsal; fins all well developed; pectoral rather long, nearly reaching origin of anal; 
ventral reaching past vent; soft portion of anal and dorsal reaching middle of caudal. 
Color, dark or brownish, with 7 broad black vertical crossbars, the first extending from in front of 
dorsal fin to upper end of gill-opening, the second from under front of dorsal to base of pectoral, the 
third and fourth from spinous dorsal to belly between ventrals and anal, the fifth from front of soft 
dorsal to front of soft anal, the sixth across base of caudal peduncle, the seventh across middle of 
caudal peduncle; a large ocellated black spot at base of caudal fin; pectoral pale, all other fins dark, 
sometimes almost black, probably bluish in life. 
