| OCR Text |
Show 1869.] FRESHWATER FISHES OF BURMA. 615 Length of head f, of pectorals \, of caudal j), height of body } oi the total length. Eyes without adipose lids, diameter \ of length of head, 1 diameter from end of snout, 1 \ diameter apart. Body compressed, tapering to both ends ; snout somewhat pointed. Least depth of free portion of tail equal to half the length of head. Maxilla almost entirely hidden by the praeorbital, which latter, although not emarginate, is strongly spinate, with eleven or twelve spines, the five posterior being the coarsest, and the last one the strongest. Lips thin. Cleft of mouth equal to half its gape. Mandibular angle somewhat obtuse. Lower jaw with a knob on symphysis. Uncovered space on chin lanceolate. Teeth absent. Fins. Dorsal arises midway between the snout and the base of the caudal; its spines are moderately strong, and the length of the longest equal to that of the head from the middle of the orbit. Pectoral short; its length equals that of the head without the snout. Second dorsal arises over the middle of the anal; its height equals that of the first dorsal. Anal spines well developed, the third the longest, lower surface of the fin concave. Caudal lunate. Scales strongly ctenoid, with a raised line, more or less apparent, along each. Few scales on the vertical fins; thirty-eight rows between the base of the first dorsal and the snout. No elongated scale in the axil. Colours. Silvery shot with gold ; of a leaden colour along the upper half of the body. This is a small species found in the Irrawaddi, Pegu, and other rivers of Burma, but it rarely grows to 4\ inches in length. It may be the M. cascasia, H . B.; but that is said to have D. 4 I \, A. 2/8, and to be found in the rivers of Northern Bengal. CATOPRA NANDIOIDES?, Bleeker. B.vi. D.^. P.15. V.J. A. 3/8. C. 13. L. 1. 27. L. tr. 51/14-L. Caec. pyl. 2. Length of head from f to \, of pectoral \, of caudal \, of height of body f, of dorsal spines \, of dorsal rays -fr of the total length. Eyes. Diameter nearly \ of length of head, 1 diameter from end of snout, 1\ diameter apart. Snout convex in the adult. Body oblong, compressed, and rising from the snout to the base of the dorsal fin. Praeorbital and preeopercle rather strongly serrated, fine serrations in the contiguous portions of the sub- and interopercles. Two flat spines on the opercle, the lower being double in the adult. Posterior extremity of maxilla extends to beneath the anterior margin of the orbit. Teeth villiform in both jaws, the external row being the largest, more especially in the upper jaw. Blunted teeth on the vomer and palate. Tongue osseous, toothed. Fins. Dorsal spines strong, interspiuous membrane deeply cleft |
