278 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM VOL. $5 
dorsal; pelvic insertion equal distance between snout and mideaudal 
base; 15 or 16 dark spots along lateral line. 
Characidium, pellucidum Eigenmann 
5b. Sides with numerous small crescents of brown irregularly arranged; 
back with about 13 cross bars; dorsal rays iii, 9; anal ili, 5; pelvic 
insertion closer to tip of snout than midcaudal base. 
Characidium pteroides EKigenmann 
4b, Sides with a wide black band, not crossed with dark bars, through snout 
to caudal fin base; 2 or 3 more or less obsolete dark bars posteriorly; pec- 
toral rays iv, 8 or 9; pelvic ii, 6; dorsal iii, 9 or 10; anal iii, 6; scales 36, 4 
above and 2% below lateral line; breast scaly. (Young.) 
Characidium laterale EKigenmann 
4c. Sides of body with 7 to 14 blackish vertical bars and black lateral band or 
streak present or absent, usually vertical bars less distinct on adults, 
especially during breeding season. 
6a. Teeth conical without lateral points basally; breast scaly; centers of 
scales in black bars pale, especially so along back; dorsal rays iii, 8 or 
9; anal iii, 6; scales 38, 4 above and 3 below lateral line, 10 scales in 
front of dorsal; about 10 bars on sides; no dark lateral band; pelvics 
inserted a little closer to tip of snout than midcaudal base. 
Characidium catenatum Higenmann 
6b. Teeth with lateral points basally. 
7a. Breast naked at all ages 18; dorsal rays usually iii, 9; anal ili, 6; pectoral 
iii, 8 or iii, 9; pelvic insertion almost equidistant between tip of 
snout and midcaudal base; caudal spot at midbase of caudal fin, in 
young usual embedded cross bar at base of caudal fin; scales 30 to 
33, 3% above, 2% or 3 below lateral line; 10 to 12 scales in front of 
dorsal; pelvic rays usually i, 8, rarely i, 9; 12 or 13 bars on sides be- 
coming obsolete on breeding adults; shoulder spot blackish and 
prominent; usual black lateral streak represented by a narrow dark 
line (ora bsentus Mesa eles Characidium voladorita, new species 
7b. Breast scaly, probably naked in young. 
8a. Pectoral rays iii, 7 to iii, 9, very rarely ili, 10; dorsal usually iii, 9; 
pelvic i, 8. 
9a. pectoral rays iil, 7 to ili, 9; anal iii, 6; eoales 32 to 36, 3% to 4% 
above and 3 or 3% below lateral line; 10 or 11 scales in front of 
dorsal; 11 dark bars on sides with 3 or 4 of these between dorsal 
fins; pelvics inserted closer to tip of snout than midcaudal fin 
LORS Ml ppl ely ls iba NMR Characidium fasciatum Reinhardt 
9b. Pectoral rays iii, 8 or iii, 9; anal iii, 7; scales 34, 5 above and 3 
below lateral line, with 9 in front of dorsal fin; about 10 dark 
cross bars, 3 of these between dorsal fins; pelvics equal distance 
between tip of snout and midcaudal fin base. 
Characidium zebra Kigenmann ” 
9c. Pectoral rays iii, 8 to iii, 10, usually iii, 9; anal ili, 6 or 7; scales 31 
to 85; 9 or 10 dark bars on sides with 3 of these between dorsals; 
-pelvics inserted a little closer to midcaudal base than tip of snout. 
Characidium marshi Breder 
18 Several other species of Characidium no doubt have naked breasts, but I have not been able to study 
this important character because specimens of various species are not available. 
19 A cotype, Indiana Univ. No. 11687, lent me by the California Academy of Sciences, shows distinct 
relationships with C. fasciadorsale Fowler (Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia, vol. 66, p. 233, 1914, Ru- 
pununi River, Brit. Guiana), which I consider a synonym of C. zebra. 
