AQUARIUM
THE
80
Eye
Notropis Chrosomus Specimens of this fish which appeared in the Eastern market some time ago, under the names Rhinycthys gloriosus and Chrosonuis snpcrbus, have been recognized, and a few words concerning be of interest.
this variety will doubtless
The Notropis Chrosomus, discovered by Jordan in 1876, is a desirable inhabitant of the cold water aquarium.
was
It
found in Georgia and is common in clear brooks and outlets of springs throughout drainage
the
of
Alabama
the
Basin.
A closely related variety. Notropis Mctalicus, is so similar that
is
it
difficult
for
the amateur ichthyologist to distinguish
When identification
one from the other. of specimens
is
in the least doubt,
much the best plan
it
is
them to a
to submit
competent ichthyologist.
Errors of iden-
tification soon get well-rooted and become
veritable
weeds to the scientific worker,
who is put to great unnecessary labor in running down false trails. Identification by competent ichthyologists is nearly al-
ways possible and, if a new fish has to be named, let it be done by one who can
upper protractile
following
description
taken
is
The original specimen is in The Academy of Natural
rakers
Notropis Chrosomus
(Jordan)
minnow, head 4
depth 4^
A 10 base,
;
above lateral line
;
latter
upper part of arch. 4-4,
;
Snout
front,
snout o 1-3
convex,
length 4-5
its
and well exposed.
small
Lateral line complete, decurved. tion of dorsal
Inser-
midway between eye-cenAnal inserted about Cau-
ter and caudal base.
opposite last third of dorsal base.
Pectoral reaches ^4 to before dor-
dal well forked.
ventral sal
;
latter inserted well
and reaches
Color hyaline
vent.
green with bluish
tints.
Belly
silvery.
Plead above and vertebral line golden light
narrow scarlet streak from opercle
above to caudal base, and below this a
Row of black dots along
silvery line.
forming into small
lateral line,
caudal
distinct
bar across anal,
Scarlet
spot.
caudal base and dorsal.
Spring males
with muzzle and top of head tuberculate,
and finer tubercles before dorsal. Length Known from the Alabama 2^2 inches. Basin and is common in clear brooks and outlets of springs.
;
Notropsis Chrosomus for several months in
water of moderate temperature, and
along the sides make them, indeed, a de-
inter-
Body elongate, well compressed, rather slender. Head moderate, abrupt in
hooked, with grinding surfaces.
2,
Scales rather
their
;
orbital 2 4-5.
compressed.
of
Red-
scales
7
head; eye 3%, maxillary 2J^
Gill-
which 3 on Pharyngeal teeth 2,
points
D 8
4 scales below lateral
line; 28 scales before dorsal; in
;
scales 38 in lateral line to caudal
and two more on
short
7
active habits and gentle nature, combined with the attractive coloring of the fins and the copper and dark stripes
Sciences in Philadelphia.
;
maxillary reaches eye.
;
The writer has kept six specimens of
from the works of Jordan.
lined
rather
inclined,
Interorbital rather evenly convex.
also make a proper classification.
The
mouth
rounded,
large; lower jaw slightly protruding and
By WM. T. INNES, JR.
lightful acjuarium fish.
The
of
fact
their
coming from the
South at first led aquarists to treat them as tropical
fish.
Under these conditions
they died rapidly.
Since
it
has become
known that they inhabit cool, spring-fed brooks we now keep them in moderate to where they do
slightly
cool aquaria,
width.
ticularlv with aeration.
well, par-