OCR Text |
Show 222 DR. A. GtJNTHER ON A COLLECTION OF [Feb. 4, the width of the interorbital space. The gill-opening extends downward to before the root of the pectoral fin. Mandibulary teeth in a very narrow and short row, less than 20 in number, shorter than the eye. The maxillary barbels do not reach the end of the humeral spine and are simple; mandibulary barbels reaching to the root of the pectorals, sparsely provided with fringes. Nuchal carapace tectiform, compressed into a median ridge, rather pointed behind, its end reaching to below the first soft dorsal ray. Humeral spine reaching equally far backward, much longer than high, with its upper margin oblique and nearly straight, terminating in a sharp point. Skin of the side of the body villous. Adipose fin moderately long, the interspace between it and the dorsal being less than the base of the latter. Dorsal spine short, with a sharp anterior edge which shows scarcely a trace of serra-ture about the middle of its length, and is probably quite smooth in older examples ; this spine is shorter than the pectoral spine, which is serrated along both edges and shorter than the distance of the foremost part of the soft part of the trunk from the snout. Coloration uniform. A single specimen, 21 cm. long, was obtained in Lake Stephanie on June 11, 1895. 9. SYNODONTIS SMITHII, sp. n. (Plate IX.) D. 1/7. A. 13. P. 1/9. Rather stout in general habit; snout comparatively broad, not much attenuated in front; diameter of the orbit one half of the length of the snout, and of the width of the interorbital space. The gill-opening extends downward to before the root of the pectoral fin. Mandibulary teeth in a narrow, short series, about 25 in number, shorter than the eye. The maxillary barbels do not reach the end of the humeral spine and are simple ; mandibulary barbels reaching to the root of the pectorals, provided with long fringes. Nuchal carapace tectiform, compressed into a median ridge, rather pointed behind, its end reaching to below the first soft dorsal ray. Humeral spine reaching equally far, or even a little farther backward, much longer thau high, with its upper margin oblique, but straight, terminating in a sharp point. Skin of the side of the body villous, particularly along the lateral line. Adipose fin moderately long, the interspace between it and the dorsal being less than the base of the latter. Dorsal spine with a sharp, non-serrated anterior edge, equal in length to the pectoral spine, which is strongly serrated along both edges, the inner serra-ture being coarser than the outer. The length of these spines exceeds somewhat the distance of the foremost part of the soft part of the trunk from the snout. Coloration uniform. A single specimen, 24 cm. long, was obtained. This species is allied to 8. schal, but distinguished by its enormously long spines. |