| OCR Text |
Show 1876.] MR. F. DAY ON THE FISHES OF YARKAND. 803 eutropius, Wallago, Olyra, Chaca, Clarias, Saccobranchus, Silundia, Ailia, Ailiichthys, Eutropiichthys, Sisor, Gayata, Bagarius, Pseudecheneis, Glyptosternum exist in India, but not in Afghanistan, Turkestan, or Yarkand. Callichrous and Amblyceps, which are found in India, appear to be present in Afghanistan, and the former also in Cashmere. Exostoma is found along the Himalayas ; Silurus in Turkestan and India. CYPRINODONTID^E. Cyprinodon and Haplochilus are found in India. CYPRINID^E. Genera Psilorhynchus, Cirrhina, Amblypharyn-godon, Nuria, Basbora, Aspidoparia, Bohtee, Perilampus, Chela, Homaloptera, and various genera of Cobitidinae exist in India. Discognathus, Labeo, and Barilius are common to India and Afghanistan, but are evidently Indian forms. Oreinus, Schizothorax, and Barbus are found in India, also in Afghanistan, and the two last in Turkestan, whilst Schizothorax is common in Yarkand. Cobitis or Nemacheilus seem to extend everywhere. CLUPEID^E and NOTOPTERID^E. Of the genera belonging to these families, and which exist in the fresh waters of India, none go beyond the base of the Himalayas. The fishes of Yarkand* consist of species of the following genera :-Schizothorax, found also in Afghanistan and Turkestan ; one species on the slopes of the Himalayas, and sometimes even descending to the plains. Diptychus, Tibet, Yarkand, and Turkestan. Schizopygopsis, Tibet and Yarkand. Ptychobarbus, Tibet and Yarkand. The remainder are Loaches. Diptychus dybowskii, Kess., would almost seem to be a Schizopygopsis with an articulated dorsal ray and a pair of maxillary barbels. Perhaps several of these hill-genera will, at some future date, be properly amalgamated, as has been done with the low-country Barbels (Barbus). An examination of the genera of spiny-rayed or Acanthopterygian fishes clearly shows that, as we proceed inland in India they diminish, at the Himalayas they cease. Two Indian species f only have been observed to exist in Afghanistan; and they are amongst the most widely distributed of their respective genera. Neither of these extends in the N.E. either to Turkestan or Yarkand. In Turkestan, it is true, three genera of this order are represented ; but they have evidently extended southwards. Yarkand and Tibet appear to be unsuited for this Order of fishes ; and thence none have been brought. The Physostomi include all the Yarkand and Tibet fishes. * I here omit the genera Exostoma from the Himalayas and Oreinus from the Himalayas and Afghanistan. t Ophiocephalus gachua and Mastacembelus armatus. |
