OCR Text |
Show 1899.] SYRIAN FISHES OF THE FAMILY CICHLIDiE. Ill emarginate. Caudal peduncle slightly deeper than long. Scales cycloid, 32 ^-; lat. 1. i ^ . Greenish black; a black opercular spot; fins blackish, soft dorsal and caudal with more or less distinct round light spots between the rays. Total length 250 millim. Pools on the KibAvesi River, British East Africa. 3. TILAPIA SHIRANA. Oreochromis shiranus Bouleng. Proc. Zool. Soc. 1896, p. 916, fig. Tilapia shirana Bouleng. Tr. Zool. Soc. xv. 1898, p. 4. Teeth very small, in 5 to 7 very closely-set series in both jaws. Depth of body 2% to 24 in total length, length of head 3 times. Snout Avith straight upper profile, 1^ to If diameter of eye, which is 4 to 4| times in length of head and 1| to 2 in interorbital width ; mouth moderate, f to | width of head ; maxillary extending to bet\A7een nostril and eye; 2 series of scales on the cheek. Gill-rakers short, 15 to 18 on lower part of anterior arch. Dorsal XVI-XVII 10-12; last spine longest, | length of head or a little less. Ventral reaching vent. Anal IV 9-10; fourth spine longest, as long as and stronger than middle dorsals. Caudal peduncle not longer than deep. Scales cycloid, 31-32 y ; lat. 1. 20-21 15-16* Total length 210 millim. Upper Shire Biver, Nyassaland. 4. TILAPIA MOSSAMBICA. Chromis (Tilapia) mossambicus, Peters, Mon. Berl. Ac. 1852, p. 681. Chromis niloticus, part., Peters, Arch.8 f. Nat. 1855, p. 267 ; Giinther, Cat. iv. p. 510 (1862); Peters, Beise n. Mossamb. iv. p. 23, pi. iv. fig. 4 (1868). Chromis mossambicus, part., Giinth, 1. c. p. 268. Tilapia mossambica, Bouleng. Tr. Zool. Soc. xv. 1888, p. 4. Teeth very small, in 4 to 7 series in both jaAvs. Depth of body 2\ to 2\ times in total length, length of head 2| to 3 times. Snout with concave upper profile, 2 to 2\ times diameter of eye, which is 5 to 6 times in length of head and 2 to 2| times in interorbital width ; mouth large, nearly as broad as the head ; maxillary extending to belovv anterior border of eye or not quite so far; 2 or 3 series of scales on the cheek, forming a nearly straight or slightly oblique horizontal band, Avhich, under the eye, is at least nearly as broad as the diameter of the eye ; large scales on the opercle. Gill-rakers short, 17 to 20 on lower part of anterior arch. Dorsal X V - X V I 10-11; last spine longest, \ to -| length of head, \ to § longest soft rays. Pectoral pointed, as long as or a little shorter than the head, extending at least as far as origin of anal. Ventral reaching vent or origin of anal. Anal |