STRIPED SUCKER. 825 
fin; top of head black; lips pale; each scale along the sides with a small, more or less 
distinct blackish spot at its base, these spots forming interrupted longitudinal lines 
along the rows of scales; these lines are usually very distinct, especially in the adult, 
but young specimens often show them faintly ; sides and belly silvery, with a coppery 
- lustre; sexual peculiarities moderately marked; very old males with the head covered 
with small tubercles in spring ; no great changes with age, either in form or coloration ; 
size large; maximum length about 18 inches. 
Habitat, Great Lakes to South Carolina and Texas. 
Diagnosis—This species may be best known by the coloration, each 
scale along the sides having a conspicious dark spot, which forms dark 
stripes along the series of scales. 
Habits —This species is abundant in the lake regions, and grassy ponds 
throughout Ohio. It is fond of clear sluggish waters. It is often taken 
in nets in Lake Erie, but ismore common in the basin of the Ohio. It 
is a handsome fish, and the young being very tenacious of life are at- 
tractive aquarium fishes. It may be used as food, but as a food fish is 
more saleable than edible. 
GENUS 22, MYXOSTOMA. (Rafinesque) Jordan. 
Catostomus, sp. LESUEUR, and of all writers till 1855. 
Moxostoma, RAFINESQUE, Ichthyologia Ohiensis, 1820, 54. (Proposed as a subgenus for 
those species of Catostomus with eight ventral rays and the caudal lobes unequal; 
type C. anisurus, Raf.) : 
Teretulus, RAFINESQUE, Ichthyologia Ohiensis, 1€20, 57. (As a subgenus, to include 
those species of Catostomus with nine ventral rays; no type designated—most of the 
species recorded belong to the present genus. C. aureolus, LeSueur, is the species 
first mentioned, and to this species and its relative the name Teretulus was after- 
wards restricted by Professor Cope.) 
Ptychostomus, AGASSIZ, American Journal of Science and Arts, 1855, p. 203. (No type 
designated ; the species mentioned are P. aureolus, P. macrolepidotus, P. duquesnit, 
and P. melanops. P. aureolus has been considered the type of the genus.) 
Teretulus, COPE, Journ. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1868, 236. 
Moxostoma, JORDAN, Manual of Vertebrates, 1876, 295. 
Myxostoma, JORDAN, Ann. Lyc. Nat. Hist., 1877, 348. (Corrected orthography.) 
Etymology, muzo, to suck; stoma, mouth. 
Type, Catostomus anisurus, Rafinesque. 
Body more or less elongate, sometimes nearly terete, usually more or less compressed 3 
head variously long or short, its length ranging from three and a half to five and a half 
in that of the body; eye usually rather large, varying from three to six times in the 
length of the side of the head, its position high up and median or rather posterior; sub- 
orbital bones very narrow; fontanelle on top of head always well open, the parietal 
bones not coalescing ; mouth varying much in size, always inferior, the mandible being 
horizontal or nearly so; lips usually well developed, the form of the lower lip varying, 
usually with a single median fissure; the lips with transverse plice, rarely somewhat 
papillose; jaws without cartilaginous sheath; muciferous system considerably developed; 
