456 Annals of the South African Museum. 



A. ngamenszs, is closely allied to A. ballayi, Sauv., from Cameroon, 

 the Gaboon, and the Congo." 



8. AEIUS. 



Arius, Cuv. and Val., Hist. Poiss., xv., p. 53 (1840), part. ; Mull. 

 and Trosch., Hor. Ichthyol., iii., p. 6 (1849) ; Bleek., Nederl. Tijdschr. 

 Dierk., i. (1863), p. 91 ; Giinth., Cat. Fish., v., p. 138 (1864), part. ; 

 Bouleng., Poiss. Bass. Congo, p. 298 (1901), and Cat. Fresh. Fish. 

 Afr., ii., p. 383 (1911). 



Anodes, Mull, and Trosch., I.e. 



Pseudarius, Bleek., I.e. 



" Body moderately elongate, not or but feebly compressed. Dorsal 

 and anal fins short, the former consisting of a spine and 6 or 7 

 branched rays ; a small adipose fin. Pectoral fin with a spine. 

 Ventral fin with 6 rays, inserted behind the vertical of the dorsal fin. 

 Three pairs of barbels ; maxillary and two mandibulars. Nostrils 

 close together. Byes lateral or supero-lateral, with free border. 

 Maxillary bone rudimentary ; jaws with a band of villiform teeth ; 

 teeth on the pterygoids, none on the vomer. Gill-membranes 

 narrowly attached to isthmus, not notched, forming a continuous 

 transverse fold. 



Vertebras 48-58 (22-29 + 27-33). Branchiostegal rays 5 or 6. 



Tropical seas ; a few species in fresh waters, or entering rivers." 



: ARIUS KIRKII, Gunth. 



Giinth., Cat. Fish., v., p. 163 (1864) ; Bouleng., Cat. Fresh. Fish. 



Afr., ii., p. 389 (1911). 



" Depth of body about 5 times in total length, length of head 

 3-T7 times. Occipital region granulated ; occipital process tectiform, 

 broader than long, in contact with a small interneural shield ; eye 

 4| times in length of head and 2 times in interocular width ; 

 praemaxillary band of teeth short, about 4 times as long as broad ; 

 palate with two patches of granular teeth on each side, the anterior 

 patch small and rounded, widely separated from its fellow and 

 narrowly from the posterior, which is large, sub-triangular, and 

 longer than broad ; maxillary barbel as long as head. Dorsal i 7 ; 

 spine f length of head, very feebly serrated in front and behind. 

 Adipose dorsal small, about 2| times as distant from rayed dorsal as 

 from caudal. Anal 17 (12 rays branched). Pectoral spine similar 

 to dorsal, but rather more strongly serrated. 



