Cathorops, Jordan & Gilbert, 1882

Key to the species of Cathorops View in CoL from the Mesoamerica and Caribbean Sea

1. Lateral and mesial surfaces of first and second gill arches with fleshy papillae intercalated with the gill rakers, papillae more developed on second arch ( Fig. 3b View Fig ); 14-16 gill rakers on first arch; 13-16 gill rakers on second arch ..................................... 2

1’. Lateral and mesial surfaces of first and second gill arches without fleshy papillae intercalated with the gill rakers ( Fig. 3a View Fig ); 16 to 23 gill rakers on first arch; 16 to 22 gill rakers on second arch ............................................................................................ 3

2. Snout length 9.3-11.6% SL ( Fig. 4 View Fig ); distance from tip of snout to dorsal-fin origin 39.0-40.7% SL ( Fig. 5 View Fig ) .... Cathorops aguadulce

2’. Snout length 6.0-8.6% SL ( Fig. 4 View Fig ); distance from tip of snout to dorsal-fin origin 33.1-38.0% SL ( Fig. 5 View Fig ).... Cathorops kailolae

3. Head length 22.3-23.0% SL; distance from tip of snout to posterior margin of dorsomedian groove of neurocranium 17.9- 19.1% SL; pelvic and pectoral fins with intense black pigmentation; posterior margin of pectoral-fin spine with conspicuous and long serrations ( Fig. 20 View Fig ).......................................................................................................................... Cathorops melanopus

3’. Head length 23.3-31.9% SL; distance from tip of snout to posterior margin of dorsomedian groove of neurocranium 20.2- 27.3% SL; pelvic and pectoral fins with pale pigmentation; posterior margin of pectoral-fin spine with inconspicuous and short serrations ( Figs. 8 View Fig and 13 View Fig )......................................................................................................................................................... 4

4. Dorsal-fin spine 15.9-17.6% SL ( Fig. 9 View Fig ); dorsal-fin spine length 29.4-33.3% of distance from tip of snout to pelvic-fin origin; dorsal-fin spine as long as pectoral-fin spine................................................................................................ Cathorops belizensis

4’. Dorsal-fin spine 18.6-24.2% SL ( Fig. 9 View Fig ); dorsal-fin spine length 35.1-48.3% of distance from tip of snout to pelvic-fin origin; dorsal-fin spine longer than pectoral-fin spine................................................................................................................................ 5

5. Cephalic shield with very few granules ( Fig. 13 View Fig ); supraoccipital process length 22.3-32.6% of maxillary barbel length ( Fig. 14 View Fig ); supraoccipital process length 32.8-48.3% of external mental barbel length........................................ Cathorops higuchii

5’. Cephalic shield densely granulated; supraoccipital process length 35.5-51.4% of maxillary barbel length ( Fig. 14 View Fig ); supraoccipital process length 51.5-81.2% of external mental barbel length...................................... Cathorops mapale species group