SAND DARTER. 965 
along the region of the lateral line and on the tail, sometimes wanting on the back or 
belly ; lateral line complete ; gill membranes considerably united ; head scaly or naked ; 
no ventral plates; the belly naked; dorsal fins moderate, about equal to the anal fin 
and to each other; dorsal with about ten spines; anal spine single, weak; vertebrae 
22 + 22 (A. pellucida); darters of moderate or rather large size; inhabiting the sandy 
bottoms of clear streams, where they bury themselves entirely excepting the eyes and 
snout; coloration translucent, with bright reflections. 
132, AMMOCRYPTA PELLUCIDA (Baird) Jordan. 
Sand Darter. 
‘| Etheostoma pellucidum, BAIRD, Mss., 1853.” 
Pleurolepis pellucidus, AGassiZ, Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool., 1863, 5— JORDAN and COPELAND, 
Am. Naturalist, 1877 (February) 86.—JORDAN, Man. Vert,, 2d ed., 1878, 219.—_ ForBES, 
Bull, Ills. Lab. Nat. Hist, ii, 1878, and of authors generally. 
Description.— Body elongate, nearly cylindrical, the flesh pellucid in life, but of firm, 
wiry texture ; head long; cheeks, opercles, and temporal region scaly ; opereular spine 
small; region in front of dorsal mostly naked ; scales little ctenoid, nearly smooth to 
the tonch when wet, covering the sides of the body, loosely imbricated, and more or 
less imbedded in the skin ¢ those along lateral line and caudal peduncle, best developed ; 
maxillary barely reaching to opposite the large eye; eyes high up, separated by a nar- 
row, grooved space ; pectorals short, reaching tips of ventralg, half way to vent; trans- 
lucent scales with fine, black dots; a series of small squarish olive or bluish blotches 
along the back, and another along the sides, connected by a gilt line; D. X-I, 9; A.I 
8; Lat. 1 75 to 80; head 44; depth 7; length 3 inches. 
Habitat, Ohio Valley and Upper Mississippi, Pennsylvania to Minnesota and Missouri ; 
abundant in clear streams with sandy bottonis. 
Diagnosis.—The slim, translucent, cylindrical body distinguishes this 
at sight from all other Ohio fishes. 
Habits.—This extremely curious little fish lies buried in the sand in 
the bottoms of shallow streams, with only its snout and eyes uncovered. 
It feeds upon the larva of insects and other small organisms. Jor a full 
account of its habits see American Naturalist for February, 1877, p. 86. 
It has, of course, no econemic value of any sort, but as an aquarium fish 
it is the most attractive which our waters yield. 
Two other species of this genus are found southwestward, and may 
perhaps occur in Ohio. These are A. beant Jor., known by its naked 
head and nearly naked body, and A. asprella Jor.. known by its small, 
rough scales, there being about one hundred in the lateral line. 
GENUS 72. BOLEOSOMA. DeKay.. 
Boleosoma, DeKay, New York Fauna, Fishes, 1842, 20. 
Arlina, GIRARD, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1859, 64. 
Estrella, GIRARD, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1869, 65. 
Type, Boleosoma tessellata, DeKay ; Htheostoma olmstedi, Storer. 
Etymology, bolis, dart; soma, body. 
