CHARACINIDAE FROM VENEZUELA—SCHULTZ 329 
Body a little compressed, the head about 3% and depth 3.0 to 3.2 in 
standard length; snout % eye and about 4 in head; eye large, 2% in 
head; interorbital a little convex, not quite so wide as eye, about 
3 in head; postorbital length of head twice in distance from dorsal 
origin to tip of supraoccipital; second suborbital not covering cheek, 
posteriorly and ventrally naked, so that it does not come in con- 
tact with preopercle; gill rakers represented by tiny knobs along 
first gill arch; lateral line incomplete, usually with only 9 or 10 pores 
and ending about opposite pelvic insertions; a large fontanel occupy- 
ing middorsal area of head from between rear of orbits to tip of supra- 
occipital; lower jaw included, shorter than upper, so that snout pro- 
jects a little and the outer teeth of premaxillary are exposed; gill 
membranes free from isthmus, joined to it far forward; predorsal and 
preventral area normally and evenly scaled; origin of dorsal fin about 
an equal distance from snout tip and midcaudal fin base; pelvic 
insertions in front of a vertical through origin of dorsal fin; anal origin 
usually about under base of the third from last dorsal ray; adipose 
fin present, a vertical through its origin passing a little behind base of 
last anal ray; anal origin an equal distance between midcaudal base and 
preopercle; caudal fin forked, its base with a few scales, but no pouch 
or enlarged scales are developed; distal margin of anal fin a little 
concave; the last simple rays of dorsal and of anal fins on males a 
little elongate; intestine with a few pyloric caeca. 
Color, in alcohol: Middle rays of caudal fin blackish, forming an 
elongate caudal spot that ends before reaching tips of middle caudal 
fin rays and not extending on the caudal peduncle; tips of each caudal 
lobe a little dusky, as is tip of dorsal first rays occasionally; a line of 
black pigment along the anterior margin of each anal ray; tip of 
snout with black pigment cells and also upper parts of head; margins 
of each scale pocket, dorsally, outlined with a little black pigment; 
numerous scattered black pigment cells over anal base to midaxis of 
body and lower side of caudal peduncle; no humeral spot. When 
alive, this species had a reddish coloration on the upper third of the 
eye. Peritoneum silvery, with a few scattered black pigment cells 
at sides dorsally. 
Remarks.—This new species differs from all other characinids 
with three irregular rows of tricuspid teeth on the premaxillary and 
a single row on the dentary by having an incomplete lateral line and, 
in addition, no humeral spot, the caudal spot being confined to the 
base of caudal fin. 
Named maracaiboensis in reference to the drainage basin in which 
it was collected. 
