OCR Text |
Show 1887.] FISHES FROM MUSCAT. 665 A N A C A N T H INI. PLEURONECTID_E. 137. PSETTODES ERUMEI, Bl. Schn. 138. PSEUDORHOMBUS RUSSELLII, Gray. 139. PARDACHIRUS MARMORATUS, Lacep. PHYSOSTOMI. SILURID.E. 140. PLOTOSUS ANGUILLARIS, Bl. 141. ARIUS THALASSINUS, Riipp. The single specimen, although 2| feet long, has all the characters of Riippell's A. thalassinus, thus invalidating the statement, first made by Bleeker, that age alone accounts for the differences between this species and A. nasutus, C. & V. The smallest specimen of the latter form preserved in the British Museum measures a little over 1 foot, and the largest 3 feet; yet there is no great difference between them. Besides the produced and pointed snout, they differ from A. thalassinus in the shorter maxillary barbel and the presence of granulations on the snout. It may be that the differences between the two forms are sexual; but the material at hand does not enable me to decide. The only adult specimen in spirit in the British Museum is a male, and belongs to A. nasutus. ScOPELID-E. 142. SAURUS VARIUS, Lace'p. 143. SAURIDA TUMBIL, Bl. CYPRINID_E. *144. SCAPHIODON MUSCATENSIS, SP. 11. D. JJJJ. A. j. L. lat. 38-39. L. tr.1 T. Length of head one fourth of total (without caudal); diameter of eye one fourth the length of head ; snout rounded, projecting a little beyond the mouth, glandular ; a single barbel on each side, measuring three fifths the diameter of the eye; mandible sharp, with a horny sheath. Origin of dorsal just above the ventrals, midway between the end of the snout and the base of the caudal ; last undivided dorsal ray osseous, rather feeble, not serrated. Pectoral as long as the head less the snout. Caudal forked. Bronzy above, whitish below; scales, except the lowermost, with a dark brown margin ; a more or less distinct blackish lateral band ending in a spot before the caudal. Total length 4 inches 3 lines. Several specimens. 1 Counted between origin of dorsal and ventral. |