SPOTTED SHINER. 859 » 
80. ERimysTax DISsIMILIs (Kirtland) Jordan. 
at Spotted Shiner. 
Luxilus dissimilis, KIRTLAND, Boston Journ. Nat. Hist., v, 1840, 341. 
Ceratichthys dissimilis, Cope, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1864, 277; Cyp. Penn., 1866, 
368.—GUNTHER, Cat. Fishes Brit. Mus., vii, 177.—JORDAN, Man. Vert., 2d Ed., 1878, 
306, and of writers generally. 
Description.—Body long and slender, little compressed, with long caudal peduncle ; 
head long, rather flat above, the snout somewhat bluntly decurved, projecting a little 
beyond the rather small horizontal mouth; lower jaw included; both jaws with the 
skin hard in front, forming @ sort of tip laterally ; barbels considerably shorter than 
pupil; maxillary not reaching nearly to orbit; eye very large, high up, somewhat 
directed upward, rather behind the middle of the head, forming more than one-third 
the length of the head; opercle small; dorsal rather large, its posterior border oblique ; 
anal small; caudal well forked ; pectoral rather long ; scales rather large, twenty-two 
in front of dorsal ; lateral line nearly straight; olivaceous, sides silvery, with a bluish 
lateral band, which is widened into several dusky spots, formed by dark punctutations 
and most distinct posteriorly ; adusky band on head, through eyes and snout, fins plain ; 
head 43; depth 54; D. 8; A. 7; scales 6-47-5; teeth 4-4. Length 5 inches. 
Habitat, Ohio Valley and Lake region. 
Diagnosis.—This species may be known by the long and slender body 
and the peculiar coloration, the bluish: black lateral blotches being found 
in no other of our species. | 
Habits.—This species seeks large bodies of water, being most abundant 
in the lakes and in the channelsof the large streams. I have never seen 
it in small brooks, and it is seldom taken in the rivers in small seines, 
except at very low water. It reaches a considerable size for a minnow 
and as it takes the hook, it is frequently seen on the small boy’s “string 
of fish” along the Ohio. According to Dr. Kirtland it is often used to 
“bait the hook on ‘sett’ lines. ” 
GENus 40. CERATICHTHYS. Baird. 
Ceratichthys, BAIRD, 1853.—GIRaRD, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1856, 212, and of authors, 
Hybopsis, AGASsizZ, Am. Journ. Sci. Arts, 1854, 358, i x 
Nocomis, Copg, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1856, 190. 
Erinemus, JORDAN, Man. Vert., 1&76, 279. 
Type, Semotilus biguttatus, Kirt. 
Etymology, keras, horn; ichthus, fish. 
Form varioas; mouth terminal or inferior, with lips thin or somewhat fleshy ; a conspic- 
uous barbel terminal on the maxillary; premaxillaries projectile; teeth 4-4 or 1, 4-4, 1 
or 0, hooked, without grinding surface; scales rather large; lateral line continuous; 
dorsal] fin inserted over, in front of, or slightly behind ventrals; anal basis short ; size and 
coloration various. 
A large genus embracing a wide range of forms. Of the numerous species, but two 
have as yet been found in Ohio. These two bear little resemblance to each other, and 
may may be taken as representatives of distinct subgenera. 
