CHARACINIDAE FROM VENEZUELA—SCHULTZ 285 
12-111, 12 (iii, 11—i1, 11); pelvic i, 8-1, 7 [this is an abnormal condition] 
(i, 9-1, 9); gill rakers on first gill arch — — (6+10); number of scale 
rows from dorsal edge of gill opening to midcaudal base 34 (34); scales 
from dorsal base to lateral line 5 (5) and from lateral line to pelvic 
base 4 (3); scales in front of dorsal fin 12 (11). Additional counts are 
recorded in table 11. 
This species reaches a maximum length of about 80 mm. in standard 
length, and the April 3 collection contains numerous females with their 
‘abdomens greatly distended with mature eggs. 
Greatest depth 3.5 (in females with eggs) to 4.0; head 3.4 to 3.7 in 
standard length; eye a little smaller than length of snout; eye 1 1/5 in 
interorbital, the latter a little convex; least preorbital width 2 times 
in the interorbital; posterior edge of maxillary reaching to a vertical 
through front of eye; pelvic insertion closer to midcaudal base than tip 
of snout; dorsal origin equidistant between adipose origin and eye; 
teeth in lower jaw in an outer row on each side numbering about 14 
or 15, the inner 4 or 5 of these a little enlarged, then an inner row of 
minute teeth on the lower jaw a little distance inside of the outer row; 
6 or 7 teeth on each premaxillary in a single row, no inner row; all 
teeth with a minute denticle near base on each side; first 4 outer 
pectoral rays thickened and sometimes tips of the fifth; first outer two 
pelvic rays thickened and sometimes tips of the third; third branched 
ray of pectorals longest, second or third ray of pelvics longest; simple 
rays of both anal and dorsal thickened in adults and sometimes the 
tips of the first branched ray; gill rakers short, pointed, gill membranes 
continued forward and free from the isthmus; breast scaly; adipose fin 
small, its origin over bases of last 1 or 2 anal rays; insertion of pelvics 
under about the fourth branched dorsal ray; caudal peduncle com- 
pressed, caudal fin forked, the lobes nearly equal; distal margin of 
dorsal fin truncate, that of anal fin truncate; lateral line complete but 
difficult to observe as the pores and tubes are more or less obsolete, 
slightly decurved anteriorly; basal third of first rays of dorsal and anal 
fin provided with free membranous folds; pelvics with small axillary 
scale. 
Coloration of a breeding female when alive was as follows: General 
background color pale yellowish with three bright-yellow spots on 
side of head, one at upper edge of gill opening, one on opercle near 
tip, and the third on rear of preopercle, in front of which is an oblique 
brownish bar; upper part of operculum with brown blotch; dorsal fin 
pale yellowish orange, this crossed by two faint darkish bars; basal 
half of anal yellowish, distal part pale brownish; caudal fin light 
brownish; a brownish bar across distal portion of pectoral rays, the 
basal third yellowish; sides of body with numerous wavy short vertical 
blackish bars. 
