REPORT ON FISHES. PART T: COBITIDAE 307 



dorsal profile is gently, luit sli^litly, arclicd ami the ventral |)rolile is straight and hori- 

 zontal throughout. The head is lung and narrow and broadly pointed ; its length is contained 

 from 5.6-5.9 times in the total length and from 4.2-4.8 times in the length without the 

 caudal. The head is relatively longer in the female specimens. The greatest width of the 

 head is contained from 1.4-1.6 times and its height at occiput from 1.7-2.1 times in its length. 

 The eye is almost in the middle of the head in female specimens, while in the males the 

 snout is sometimes considerably longer than the postorbital part of the head. The diameter 

 of the eye is contained from 5.2-6.5 times in the length of the head, from 2.3-3.2 times in 

 the length of the snout and from 1.3-1.6 times in the interorbital width. The supraorbital 

 margin of the eye projects slightly beyond the profile and the eyes arc not visible from the 

 ventral surface. The mouth is on the ventral surface considerably behind the tip of the 

 snout; it is lunate and horizontal. The lips are thick, continuous and greatly papillated or 

 striated. The posterior lip is reflected backwards so that a portion of the jaw is left bare. 

 The post-laliial groove is interrupted in the middle by a slight ridge. The posterior jaw has 

 a sharp, evenly rounded edge. The form of the lips is a very characteristic feature (jf the 

 species. The barbels are short and stumj)y; they are as long as or slightly longer than the 

 diameter of the eye. 



The greatest height of the body is above the pectoral fins; the dejjth of the body is con- 

 tained from 8.2-10.4 times in the total length and from 6.8-8.6 times in the length without 

 the caudal. The body is scaleless. The lateral line is complete; anteriorly it is continued 

 over the head and divides into two branches Ijehind the eyes. The caudal i)eduncle is long 

 and narrow; its least height is contained from 3.1-3.6 times in its length. 



The dorsal fin is inserted somewhat in advance of the ventral and its commencement 

 is distinctly nearer to the base of caudal than to the tip of snout. The longest ray of the 

 dor.sal is considerably higher than the depth of the lK)dy below it; its anterior margin is 

 rounded near the ti]) and the free border is concave. The paired fins are broad, rounded 

 and horizontally ])laeed. The jjectoral is somewhat shorter than the head and extends almost 

 half the way to the ventral. The ventral fin extends beyond the anal opening and in some 

 cases almost reaches the anal fin. The anal fin is separated from the caudal by a distance 

 equal to its own length. The caudal fin is almost as long as or slightly longer than the 

 head in males, while in the females it is .shorter th.m the head; its length is contained from 

 5-5.8 times in the total length. It is slightly emarginate and has two nnnnled lobes; the 

 lower lol)e is Ix-tter develojied and longer than the U])per. 



Nemachilus stolicdcac exhibits sexual dimorphism. The secondary sexual characters 

 of the male are well developed and of the tyjie described l)y nie^''^' for A', tibctanus. In the 

 males the head is relatively shorter and the snout is longer than the postorbital part of 

 the head. 



In si)irit specimens, the general colour is dark above and on the sides and nuich lighter 

 l)elow. The head and bo<ly are mottled with numerous black spots, and in some specimens 

 short, .saddle-.sha|)e(l, black bands are distinguishable along the dorsal surface, especially in 

 the tail region. The dorsal and the candrd tins are sjjotted. The anteriormost ray of the 

 dorsal fin is provided with ;i series of consjjicuous sjxits. The dorsal surface of the outer 

 rays ui the paired fins is sometimes spotted. 



In young specimens, the whole of the body is grayish in eolotu", though somewhat 



■"Hora, Rcc. hid. Mus. XXIV, p. 81 (1922). 



