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Show 1891.] SILUROID FISHES FROM BRAZIL. 233 3. PIMELODUS MACULATUS, Lacep. 4. PIMELODUS (RHAMDIA) HILARII, C. & V. 5. PIMELODUS (PSEUDOPIMELODUS) COTTOIDES, sp. n. (?). (Plate X X V . fig. 2.) D. 1/6. A. 9-10. P. 1/5. Head naked above, a little broader than long ; occipital process very short, in contact with the basal bone of the dorsal spine, and two fifths the length of the latter ; length of the head nearly one fourth of the total (without caudal); eye very small, hardly half as long as the snout; maxillary barbel extending to the middle of the pectoral spine, outer mandibular extending as far as the maxillary, mental a little shorter. The band of prsemaxillary teeth of moderate breadth, without prolonged lateral portion. Pectoral spine very stout, very strongly serrated along its inner, less so along its outer edge ; humeral process strong, half as long as pectoral spine. Distance between end of snout and dorsal spine one third or two fifths of total length (without caudal); dorsal fin considerably deeper than long ; adipose fin as long as dorsal, separated from it by a space not quite twice its length. Depth of body one fourth total length (without caudal). Caudal emarginate. Handsomely marked dark brown and pale reddish brown above, the latter colour forming a band across the nape, a spot on each side of the body, below the middle of the dorsal, a broad band behind the dorsal, an oblong spot in front of the adipose fin, and a band round the tail, involving the end of the adipose fin ; dorsal fin dark brown, with a whitish spot occupying the basal half of its posterior moiety ; pectoral dark brown, with a small basal whitish spot; anal whitish in the middle, crowded with dark brown spots at the base and in its distal moiety ; ventrals whitish at the base, crowded with dark brown spots on the remainder ; caudal whitish, with a distal crescentic band of closely-set dark brown spots; barbels annulate with black; lower parts pale brown, marbled with dark brown. Total length 92 millim. Two adult and several young specimens from the Camaquam River. I should have referred these specimens to Valenciennes's P. charus but for the fact that it is identified by Steindachner with P. bufonius, C. & V., a species with a very different dentition. The nearest ally of P. cottoides would then be Pseudopimelodus parahibce, Stdr., with which it is possibly identical. The proposal of a new name is, however, justified, even should the two species be the same, as the name parahibce is preoccupied in the genus Pimelodus for a species of the subgenus Rhamdia (R. parahibce, Stdr.). 6. HEPTAPTERUS MUSTELINUS, Val. Numerous specimens, from 42 to 220 millim. They vary greatly, irrespective of size, in the elongation of the body, the length of the head being contained from five times and one third to six times and a half in the total (without caudal). The number of anal rays varies from 19 to 23. |