The Freshwater Fishes of South Africa. 367 



Poiss., Bass. Congo, p. 221 (1901) ; Pish. Nile, p. 195 (1907), and 

 Cat. Fresh. Fish. Afr., ii., p. 1 (1911). 



Labeobarbus, Riipp., Mas. Senckenb., ii., p. 14 (1837) ; Heck., 

 I.e., p. 1019. 



Clieilobarbus, A. Smith, III. Zool. S. Afr. Fishes (1841). 



Pscndobarbus, A. Smith, I.e. 



Capocta, part., Cuv. and Val., t.c., p. 278. 



Systomus, part., Heck., I.e., p. 1016. 



Luciobarbus, Heck., I.e., p. 1019. 



Puntius, Bleek., Nat. Verh. M. Wetensch. Haavl., xvii., 1862, 

 p. 112. 



Enteromiiis, Cope, Trans. Amer. Philos. Soc. (2), xiii., 1867, p. 407. 



Barynotus, Gunth, t.c., p. 61. 



Mouth terminal, inferior or sub-inferior, small or moderately large, 

 more or less protractile, with more or less developed lips ; barbels 

 present or absent ; dorsal fin with or without ossified ray. 



The structure of the scales varies considerably according to the 

 species ; we have followed Boulenger's system of grouping in respect 

 to this. In some species the exposed surface of the scale is striated 

 by numerous longitudinal, scarcely radiating, straight or slightly 

 wavy canals, visible to the naked eye or with the aid of a magnifier 

 of low power (except in specimens that have had the scales decalcified 

 by preservation in formol), whilst the centre is more or less finely 

 rugose. In other species with small scales the striations are also 

 numerous, but they radiate fan-like from the centre ; whilst in other 

 small species with large scales they are reduced to from two to five, 

 radiating from the centre, the scales appearing smooth but for the 

 fine concentric striation (growth-lines) which is present on the scales 

 of all cyprinids. 



Key to Species. 



I. Exposed surface of scales striated by numerous longitudinal, or even somewhat 

 converging, straight or slightly wavy canals ; dorsal tin with 8 to 10 

 branched rays, the last simple ray if ossified never serrated ; two barbels 

 on each side. 



A. Last simple ray more or less enlarged, ossified, without trace of segmentation 

 at least in its basal half forming a strong spine. Anal with 5 branched 

 rays. 



1. Ventral fin with its first ray in front of or below anterior rays of dorsal, 

 or dorsal originating slightly in advance of ventrals. 



(a\ Dorsal icith 8 branched ray*. 



rrl 



Sc. 43 , 5, 18 ; D. iii 8, A. iii 5 ; posterior barbel 



"4 

 f diameter of eye 1. 7?. iwlylepis, Blgr. 



