384 Dr. Peters on a new genus of Labyrinthi-bronchial Fish. 



XLI. — On a new genus of Labi/rifithi-bronchial Fish from Quel- 

 limane. By Dr. W. Peters*. 



[With a Plate.] 



Among those fishes which live in the marshes of QuelUmaue, 

 some are common to this part of Africa and the Nile^ as the elec- 

 trical shad-fish, Malapterurus electricus, Clarias anguillaris and 

 Chromis niloticus ; others belong also to both the western and 

 eastern parts of Africa, as Protopterus anguillaris {Lepidosiren 

 annectens) ; others are peculiar to Mozambique, as Ctenopoma 

 multispinis, Peters, of the family of Labyrinth i- bronchial fishes, 

 Tribranchus anguillaris, Peters, from the Mursenoid family (having 

 only three gills), Cyprinodon orthonotus, Peters, of the family of 

 Cyprinodonta, and a small new species of Bai'bus. 



In Zambesia, the fauna of which I am acquainted with as far 

 as Tette, we find, besides these, other Nile forms, as Mormyrus, 

 Varicorhinus, Labeo, Hydrocyon, Alesies, Distichodus, Hetero- 

 Iranchus, Bagrus, Synodontis, some species of which are identical 

 with those from the Nile, some of which are peculiar ; also a new 

 genus of Characina, which I shall describe in a future communi- 

 cation upon the fishes of Zambesia. That species of saw-fish, 

 Pristis Perotelli, which lives in rivers only, is the only one which 

 is common to Zambesia and Senegal, 



The Labyrinthi-bronchial fishes, which are distinguished by 

 the organs existing in the gill -cavity for respiration on land, are 

 for the most part peculiar to Southern and Eastern Asia ; Spiro- 

 branchus is the only form which has been hitherto known to 

 occur in Africa ; this belongs to the Cape. 



The new genus of the family of Labyrinthi-bronchial fish pos- 

 sesses the following characters : — 



Ctenopoma, Peters. 

 Operculum furnished with two semilunar segments and three 

 pectiniform toothed folds; the two uppermost of these folds 

 belong to the operculum, the lower one to the interoperculum 

 and suboperculum. Preoperculum smooth. A great number of 

 teeth on the vomer, and a band of the same on the gums on each 

 side. Jaws furnished with thin, pointed and curved teeth, the 

 first row of which is longer than the others. A single long dorsal 

 fin with numerous prickly rays. iVnal fin also furnished with 

 numerous prickles. Body and operculum covered with scales 

 which are posteriorly incised in a pectiniform manner. Pharyngeal 

 teeth short and pointed. The lateral lines are interrupted. Gill- 

 rays six. A well-developed accessory gill-organ situated above 



♦ Translated from Miiller's Archiv, 1846, part iv. 



