_CYPRINODONTIDÆ._
"Head and body covered with scales; barbels, none. Margin of the
upper jaw formed by the premaxillaries only. Teeth in both jaws;
upper and lower pharyngeals, with cardiform teeth. Dorsal fin
situated on the hinder half of the body." (Günther.)
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.