TRICOPHANES, Cope.
U. S. Geolog. Surveyor the Terrs., 1872, p. 641.
Having secured a very perfect specimen of this genus, we are enabled to complete the definition of its generic characters. We give, then, Professor Cope's definition, with some emendations and additions: Dorsal and anal fins short; ventral fin sometimes beneath and sometimes in advance of the dorsal. The premaxillary forms all of the superior arcade of the mouth, which has a wide gape, opening back behind the orbit. This bone has a row of long, slender, recurved, and subequal teeth implanted in it. The dentary is stout, and has a few small teeth. The branchiostegal rays are six in number, and are rather wide. The preoperculum IS serrate. The operculum is ridged on top. The anterior vertebræ are unmodified, and the centra are not elongate. A strong acute spine supports the dorsal, and a similar one the anal fin. There is a long post-clavicle, which may or may not extend to the base of the ventral parallel with the femur. The femur is long and furcate; the external part straight and reaching to the clavicle; the internal curves to meet the corresponding portion of its fellow. The ventral radii are eight in number, and the caudal fin is furcate. The scales are peculiar, and characteristic of the genus. They are very thin, and have borders fringed with long, close-set, bristle-like processes. This genus includes as yet only three species: T. hians, from Osivio, Nev.; and T. foliarum and T. Copei, from Florissant, Col.
Tricophanes Copei, sp. nov.
Vertebræ D. 12, C. 18, Radii D. 14, A. 8, V. 8, C. 41, P. 5 only visible, not all preserved. The dorsal fin is long, and projects beyond the beginning of the anal fin; the mouth is terminal, and the muzzle rather sharp. All the bones of the skeleton are very slender; and this is especially true of the ribs, which are not as thick as the interneurals. The neural and hæmal spines are short and slender. The origin of the dorsal is nearer to the muzzle than to the caudal; though, as a whole, the fin is on the hinder half of the body. There are no interneural spines in front of the dorsal fin; those supporting the fin are short, slender, and without the laminar expansions found in T. foliarum. The caudal fin consists of numerous jointed rays, which are supported by the neural and hæmal spines of the last three vertebræ. The scales are small, and exhibit the peculiarities of the genus, but the rows are too imperfect to be counted.
Measurements.
| M. | |
| Total length (straight) | ·0935 |
| Length of head | ·018 |
| Length of vertebral column | ·055 |
| Length of caudal fin | ·024 |
| Length of dorsal spine | ·011 |
| Length of anal spine | ·009 |
| Depth of head posteriorly | ·016 |
| Length of mandibular ramus | ·010 |
| Length to dorsal fin (from muzzle) | ·033 |
| Length of dorsal fin | ·0135 |
| Depth of body at middle of dorsal fin | ·017 |
Found in the insect beds at Florissant, Col.
CATOSTOMIDÆ.