ANNOTATED LIST OF THE SPECIES 333 Type: Amplova balboae Jordan and Seale Pacific coast of Panama to coastal streams of the Guianas and Brazil: Amazons “Venter keeled, compressed, without scutes; gill-membranes not united: lower ramus of first gill-arch with fewer than 30 rakers; fewer than 46 vertebrae; mouth small, snout short; maxillary short, curved, broad and rounded at the end.” (Myers).
A letter from Dr. 8. F. Hildebrand, now engaged in revising the anchovies of the Americas, informs me concerning the boundaries of the genus Anchoviella: “maxillary of moderate length, but reaching well beyond the eye and nearly to the joint of the mandible; no enlarged teeth in the jaws; the gill-membranes separate; gill-rakers in small or moderate number and not increasing with age.”’ The following species was described under Amplova, but it appears that Hildebrand may show in his forthcoming monograph that the Amplova of Jordan and Seale is not distinct from Anchoviella Fowler. He says that the principal character on which Amplova was created is the short mandible, supposed not to reach the posterior margin of the eye, an observation which he has been unable to verify. The geographical boundaries of the genus or genera will be better known after his paper appears (an event which may precede the publication of these lines). 464. AMPLOVA ALLENI Myers Plate XXII, fig. 3 Amplova alleni Myers, 1940, Proc. Cal. Acad. Sci., (4), XXIII, 438. Peruvian Amazonia, in and about the piedmont — —, 1, 84 mm., Gosulimacocha, R. Morona, Allen, October, 1920. ——_——, 12, 68-88 mm., Contamana, Allen, August, 1920. ———, 6, 84-87 mm., Lago Cashiboya, Allen, August, 1920. 6421 Mus. Cal. Acad. Sci., 1, type, 68 mm. standard length, Lago Cashiboya, Allen, August, 1920. ——, 1, 76 mm., Rio Morona, Allen, October, 1920.
Family XV: Clupeidae Genus 190: PRISTIGASTER Cuvier Pristigaster Cuvier, 1817, Régne Anim., II, 176; Eigenmann, 1910, Rept. Princeton Univ. Exped. Patagonia, III, 452. Type: Pristigaster cayanus Cuvier Range marine and fresh waters, both coasts; Amazons Without ventral fin; body much compressed and deep, belly protracted; strongly toothed, jaws similar to herring.
465. PRISTIGASTER CAYANUS Cuvier PristigastercayanusCuvier,1817,ReégneAnim.,II,176(nom.nud.); Cuvier, 1829, Réene Anim., 321; Eigenmann, 1910, Rept. Princeton Univ. Exped. Patagonia, IIT, 452.
334 FISHES OF WESTERN SOUTH AMERICA Pristigaster martii Agassiz, 1829, Sel. Gen. et Spec. Pisc. Bras., 55, pl. xxiv, a; Fowler, 1939 (1940), Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., XCI, 221, fig. 2, one, 80 mm., Contamana. Coastal Guiana and Brazil; R. Jurué, Maranon, Huallaga 15618, 1, 97 mm., Lago Sanango, Yurimaguas, Allen, November, 1920. 16V4 5 7s mm., Iquitos, Morris, 1922.
A marine anchovy, one of the relict fish fauna of a former inland sea, now surviving here at some 2800 miles from the mouth of the Amazon and at the fringe of the Andes.
Genus 191: ILISHA Richardson Platygaster Swainson, 1839, Fish. Amph. Rept., I, 294, preoccupied. Ilisha (Gray) Richardson, 1845, Rept. Brit. Assoc. Adv. Sci., 306; Bleeker, 1866, Nederl. Tijdsch. Dierk., III, 300, abnormis; Eigenmann,1910,Rept.PrincetonUniv.Exped.Patagonia,IIT,452; Eigenmann,1912,Mem.CarnegieMus.,V,445.
Pellona Cuvier and Valenciennes, 1847, Hist. Nat. Poiss., XX, 300, flavipinnis; Eigenmann and Eigenmann, 1891, Proc. U. 8. Nat. Mus., XIV, 63. Type: Llisha abnormis Gray Marine and coastal fresh waters, Amazons With long anal fin, 39 rays; dorsal fin in posterior position; mandible with four or five strong, conical, recurved teeth on each side, anteriorly; premaxillary teeth about 14 in a graduated series; maxillary bordered with minute but strong teeth; vomer edentulous, tongue with a broad patch of granular teeth; anal fin posterior to end of dorsal, caudal forked; adipose lid strongly developed, leaving only a narrow, vertical slit.
466. ILISHA ALTAMAZONICA (Cope) Pellona altamazonica Cope, 1871 (1872), Proc. Acad. Nat. Sei. Phila., XXIII, 256, Rio Ambyiacu; Eigenmann and Eigenmann, 1891, Proc. U. 8. Nat. Mus., XIV, 63. TlishaaltamazonicaEigenmann,1910,Rept.PrincetonUniv.Exped.Patagonia,IIT,452. Rio Ambyiacu, Rio Tocantins 467. InisHa IQUITENSIS Nakashima Ilisha iquitensis Nakashima, 1941, Bol. Mus. Hist. Nat. Lima, V, 66. Iquitos Dr. G. 8. Myers, who has seen the paper, accepts J. iquitensis as a good species on the basis of a dorsal finray count of 15; A. 52; scutes 30. 468. InisHA DEAURATA Nakashima Llisha deauratus Nakashima, 1941, Bol. Mus. Hist. Nat. Lima, V, 67.
ANNOTATED LIST OF THE SPECIES 335 Iquitos As in the preceding regarded as a good species by Dr. G. 8. Myers, who has seen the paper. D. 18; A. 38; scutes 28; rakers 9 + 13. Family XVI: Osteoglossidae Genus 192: OSTEOGLOSSUM Vandelli Osteoglossum (Vandelli) Cuvier, 1829, Régne Anim., ed. ii, II, 328; Agassiz, 1829, Sel. Gen. et Spec. Pise. Bras., 47; Figenmann and Eigenmann, 1891, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., XIV, 63; Eigenmann, 1910, Rept. Princeton Univ. Exped. Patagonia, III, 453; Eigenmann, 1912, Mem. Carnegie Mus., V, 449. Type: Osteoglossum bicirrhosum Vandelli The Amazons northward Elongate, body compressed roundly above and drawn to a knife edge ventrally, tapering toward the tail; mandible extremely long and narrow, the gape nearly vertical, bearing a pair of mental barbels which extend forward while swimming; eye large, scales large and conspicuous.
469. OSTEOGLOSSUM BICIRRHOSUM Vandelli OsteoglossumbicirrhosumVandelli,1829,Sel.Gen.etSpec.Pisc.Bras.,45; Giimther, 1868, Cat. Fish. Brit. Mus., VII, 378; Cope, 1871, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., X XIII, 257, Ambyiacu; Cope, 1878, Proc. Amer. Phil. Soc., XVII, 695; Steindachner, 1882 (1883), Denksch. KIx. Akad. Wiss. Wien, XLVI, 16, Rio Huallaga; Eigenmann, 1910, Rept. Princeton Univ. Exped. Patagonia, III, 453; Figenmann, 1912, Mem. Carnegie Mus., V, 450; Fowler, 1939 (1940), Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., XCI, 221, fig. 1, two, 305 and 350 mm., Contamana, Morrow collection.
Range that of the genus 15730,1,8305mm.,mouthRioPacaya,Allen,September,1920. 15731,1,230mm.,LagoCashiboya,Allen,August,1920,specimensenttoU.S.NationalMuseum. 15953, 1, 325 mm., Iquitos, Morris, 1922.
This species is known throughout eastern Peru under the name which may be rendered in the Spanish as arahwana (arowana of the Guiana Indians, as reported by Eigenmann, 1912). This appears to be a name given by the aborigines of Guiana rather than Peru, first borrowed by the white inhabitants of that country, and transmitted to other remote regions by them since the Conquest. Characterized by the vivid colors, large scales, compressed body, and two short, but prominent barbels. The use of the barbel is debated, but I have seen them extended forward while in motion.
They inhabit the clearer waters of the backwater lakes and bayoux, and seek the surface, at least a considerable part of the time.
336 FISHES OF WESTERN SOUTH AMERICA Family XVII: Arapaimidae Formerly united with the Osteoglossidae by reason of superficial similarities, large scales, colors, etc., now separated on the basis of the rounded venter, want of barbels, dentition, scaled ventral fins, ete. Fig. 36. Preparation of the paiche for drying; skinning. The fish lies belly-downward,theheadtotheright.
Genus 1938: ARAPAIMA Miiller SudisCuvier,1817,RegneAnim.,IT,180,preoccupiedbyRafinesque. Arapaima Miller, 1848, Arch. Naturg., 191; Miiller, 1846, Abh. Akad. Wiss. Berlin, 191; Giinther, 1868, Cat. Fish. Brit. Mus., VIT, 379; EKigenmann and Higenmann, 1891, Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus., XIV, 64; EKigenmann, 1910, Rept. Princeton Univ. Exped. Patagonia, ITT, 453; Eigenmann, 1912, Mem. Carnegie Mus., V, 450. VastresCuvierandValenciennes,1846,Hist.Nat.Poiss.,XTX,4383.
ANNOTATED LIST OF THE SPECIES 337 Type: Sudis gigas Cuvier Atlantic coast streams, Guianas to Bahia; Amazons “Elongate, compressed moderately, head depressed, belly rounded; mouth wide, mandible prominent; without barbels; Jaws with an outer series of small, conical teeth; broad bands of rasp-like teeth on vomer, palatines, pterygoids, sphenoid, hyoid, and tongue; pectorals moderate; ventrals scaled; gill-membranes not united.”’ (Gunther).
Fig.37.ContinuationofFig.36.Thefleshbeingcutintostrips,thebackboneand viscera removed.
470. ARAPAIMA GIGAS (Cuvier) Sudis gigas Cuvier, 1817, Regne Anim., IT, 180; Agassiz, 1829, Sel. Gen. et Spec. Pisc. Bras., 31, pl. B; Schomburgk, 1841, Fish. Brit. Guiana, I, 198, pl. x1. SudisprrarucuSpix,1829,Sel.Gen.etSpec.Pisce.Bras.,pl.xvi.
338 FISHES OF WESTERN SOUTH AMERICA Arapaima gigas Miller, 1843, Arch. Naturg., 191; Miiller, 1846, Abh. Akad. Wiss. Berlin, 191; Miller and Troschel, 1848, in Schomburgk, Reisen, III, 638; Giinther, 1868, Cat. Fish. Brit. Mus., VII, 379; Eigenmann and Figenmann, 1891, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., XIV, 64; Eigenmann, 1910, Rept. Princeton Univ. Exped. Patagonia, III, 453; Eigenmann, 1912, Mem. Carnegie Mus., V, 451.
Arapaema gigas Cope, 1878, Proc. Amer. Phil. Soc., XVII, 695, Nauta. Vastres gigas Cuvier and Valenciennes, 1846, Hist. Nat. Poiss., XTX, 433. Range that of the genus ,72 mm. x 78 mm., scales only, Rio Pacaya, Allen, August, 1920. Known throughout Amazonia and to Bahia and British Guiana, it is the pirarucu of Brazil, the paiche (pié-chay) of Peru, and the arapaima of the Guianas. No specimens were collected for the unexcusable reason that, except for scales, the preservation of specimens was too long postponed until those small enough for ready handling and transportation could be taken. Such an opportunity did not arise, and meanwhile numbers of fine, large specimens were passed by until too late. The paiche is in many respects the most intriguing and most interesting fish of all South America. They are everywhere within their range the most valuable and most sought-after species, mainly on account of the large size and economic value, their comparative freedom from bones, and complete freedom from small bones, and the ease with which they can be dried for marketing and for domestic use during the rainy season. The species is therefore becoming extinct in the more inhabited regions, and scarce in more remote ones. I found it still common, but not abundant, in such remote districts as the Rio Pacaya.
Something of the former abundance may be guessed at from older writings. For example, Bates, during the 1850’s, found it diminishing along the main course of the Brazilian Amazon, predicting its early extinction, together with that of the turtles, which were also being used up at an enormous rate. Statistics of annual catches are not available, nor would they be reliable, but Marcoy (II, p. 427) says authoritatively during the 1870’s: ‘‘In the early days a fortnight’s fishing of a single village produced 10,000 pirarocow and 4000 lamentin (manatee). In spite of the great importance of the pirarucu’ commercially, no writer exhibits much knowledge of it, and many false accounts of it have wide currency. I find allusions in the scientific and travel literature under names as widely diversified as the following:
Maius osteoglossum (Marcoy) Primodontos gigas (Lange) Vastres gigas (various writers following Cuvier and Valenciennes) Arapaima gigans (Beebe) Sudis gigas (Orton, ete.)
The first two generic names have not found their way into Jordan’s Genera of Fishes. Of course the currently accepted name is used by some authors. Among the popular names are the following:
Piraruci, often used, and correctly so Piraracu (Fleming)
ANNOTATED LIST OF THE SPECIES 339 Piraracu (Woodroffe) Piracuru (Koebel) Pirarocou and Pira-rocou (Marcoy) Lou-lou (Whitney) Paiche (Beals, Woodroffe, and others, correctly) Payshi (Orton, Herndon, probably the original Indian name) Anatto (Orton and others) Warapaima (Beebe gives this as the original Guiana form) Authors vary greatly in their reports as to the size and weight attained by the species :
Author Length attained Weight attained Martin 5-6 feet Koebel 6 feet 200 pounds Miller 6 feet 200 pounds Domville-Fife 6 feet 300 pounds Woodroffe 7 feet 300 pounds Gibbon 6-8 feet Dyott 6-8 feet Spruce 6-8 feet 60-100 pounds Lange 9-10 feet 250 pounds Koebel, zbidem 8 feet 150 pounds Franck 10 feet Orton 10 feet 300 pounds Beebe 100 pounds McGovern 300 pounds Eigenmann 15 feet 400 pounds Examination of the above table would show conclusively that the scientific traveler has information no more definite than that of the most casual rambling reporter. It is true that scales suitable for weighing so large a fish are found but rarely. In my own experience none was weighed, and only one measured carefully. This one specimen taken at Yarinacocha measured seven feet one inch. By the estimates of the people present it was regarded as having attained more than half the maximum length of twelve feet, and about half the maximum weight. Weight is always estimated in Loreto in terms of strips, rather than pounds or kilos. The maximum number of strips, they say, is twelve, while this specimen cut six strips. My principal witness regarding the specimen was Senor Medina, planter and merchant, who was accustomed to dealing in the dried product for shipment to Iquitos downriver. After discussion of the matter with numerous people, I am forced to regard the Eigenmann estimates as too high, and would place the probable maximum size of the paiche, at least in the upper Amazon, at about 12 feet, and the maximum weight nearer 3800 pounds. A number of authors agree in saying that the paiche is the largest of the world’s freshwater fishes, (Fleming, glossary; even Guenther, p. 175). Of course they are forgetting momentarily the sturgeon. Other false conceptions have reached the printed page: Franck, that great traveler and observer, doubtless hearing the piraruci compared with the cod as I did many times, misunderstood the allusion, and calls it the ‘“‘freshwater cod ... which dies if it gets into salt water.’ Some native of the Amazon with tongue in cheek must have told him ‘‘expert fishermen ... make the
340 FISHES OF WESTERN SOUTH AMERICA piraruct tow his canoe home’’, although it is more authentically related that the fish has been known to drag a canoe for some distance in its struggles. He says the piraruct is an article of export from Pard, but actually this city, Manaos, and Iquitos are the consumers for a vast hinterland.
Most American and European writers in their brief accounts report that they themselves are indifferent to the dried paiche, McGovern (p. 54) for instance, com- Fig. 38. Continued. The strips of flesh removed from the eviscerated body. paring its flavor to rancid soap, or Lange (1912, pp. 261, 266) commenting upon the total lack of savor of the two principal Amazonian dishes, pirarucu and farinha. Others, however, find that in the fresh condition the flesh, or parts of it, are very acceptable. Spruce, for example, says ‘‘the lower belly, or ventrexa roasted on a spit, is a choice morsel.”’ Woodroffe testified (p. 256) as to the nutritious soup which could be made of the bones. I visited a rubber camp where a barbecued paiche head was the piéce-de-resistance, and would recommend it highly to a hungry man. The use of dried paiche as a dependable food is acknowledged by all writers