OCR Text |
Show 28 ON FISHES FROM SOUTHERN CAMEROON. [Jan. 20, ClCHLID.E. 31. P e lm a t o c h r o m is b a t e s i i Blgr. Recently described from the Benito River. 32. P e lm a t o c h r o m is su b o c e l l a t u s Gthr. 33. T i l a p ia l a t a Gthr. M a s t a c e m b e l id ^ ;. 34. M a s t a c em b e l u s l o e n n b e r g i i Blgr. 28 dorsal spines. Length of head 3| times in its distance from vent. 35. M a s t a c em b e l u s sc l a t e r t , sp. n. (Plate Y . fig. 2.) Depth of body 12 to 13 times in total length, length of head (without rostral appendage) 6 to 7 times; vent equally or nearly equally distant from end of snout and base of caudal; length of head 2J to 2| times in its distance from vent, and | to | in its distance from first dorsal spine. Snout 3 times as long as eye, ending in a trifid dermal appendage which is longer than eye; cleft of mouth extending hardly to below nostril; a strong prse-orbital and two strong preeopercular spines. Yertical fins united with rounded caudal. Dorsal X X Y I -X X Y I I 8 5 -9 0 ; spines very short. Anal II 80-90. Pectoral not quite ^ length of head. Scales very small, 19 or 20 between origin of soft dorsal and lateral line. Olive-brown, whitish on the belly; a dark band on each side of the head, passing through the eye, sometimes continued on the anterior part of the body ; a more or less distinct series of large, dark, light-edged ocelli along the base of the dorsal. Total length 225 millim. This new species, named after our retiring Secretary, Mr. P. L. Sclater, in recognition of many favours received from him during his tenure of office, is based on four specimens from the Mvile River. M. sclciteri differs from M. marchii Sauv. in the more numerous dorsal spines, from M. cryptacanthus Gthr., liberiensis Blgr., and loennbergi Blgr. in the larger head, and from M. con-gicus Blgr. in the presence of only two anal spines and the still smaller scales. EXPLANATION OF THE PLATES. P l a t e I. Fig. 1. Alestes intermedins, p. 22, natural size. 2. Alestes opisthotcenia, p. 22, f . 3. Amphilius longirostris, p. 25, natural size. 3 «* :> » Upper view of head and pectoral fin, X 1£. 3 b. „ „ Lower view of head, X H . P l a t e II. Fig. 1. Labeo anneetens, p. 23, -£. 2. Barbus tceniurus, p. 24, natural size. |