150 The fishes of malabar. 



Korah mottah, Russell, pi. 49. 



Ophiocephalus cora-mota, Guv. & Val. vii. p. 414. 



Ophiocephalus marginatus, Cuv. & Val. vii. p. 411; Jerdon, Madras Journal, xv. 



p. 145. 

 Ophiocephalus fuscus, Cuv. & Val. vii. p. 414 ; Jerdon, ibid. p. 149. 

 Ophiocephalus Kelartii, GUnther, Catal. ii. p. 472 (? young). 

 Kuravu, .MzZ. 



B. v. D. 32-33. P. 13. V. 6. A. 21-23. C. 11. L. 1.40-45. L. tr. f . 



Length of head \. of pectoral \, of caudal ^, of base of dorsal ^, of base of anal ^ of the 

 total length. Height of head ^, of body ^, of dorsal ^, of ventral ^'q, of anal ^ of the total 

 length. 



Eyes — Close to profile directed upwards and outwards. Diameter^ of length of head, 1 dia- 

 meter from end of snout, 2 diameters apart anteriorly, rather more posteriorly. 



Body elongated and compressed, head depressed, cheeks puffed out, their transverse width 

 being rather more than the height of the body. 



Mouth deeply cleft, rather rounded anteriorly, lips fleshy : the maxilla extends to beneath 

 the posterior margin of the orbit. The posterior nostril round, and situated close to the anterior 

 superior margin of the orbit, the anterior close to the snout, tubular, and its exposed width equal to 

 half that of the orbit. Two glands on lower surface of inandibula, the posterior the largest : some 

 circular glandular orifices at posterior margin of the orbit, also on the cheeks and various other 

 parts of the head. 



Teeth — Villiform, in both jaws, with several rows opposite the symphysis, the internal of 

 which is rather conical and longer than the others. Those on vomer and palate villiform, and 

 in one crescentic band, with some larger ones interspersed, especially on the vomer : the width 

 of this band varies in different specimens, whilst in some the larger teeth on the palate are 

 wanting. 



Fins — The pectoral arises a short distance posterior to the opercle, and extends to opposite 

 the commencement of the anal : the minute ventral is situated under the middle third of the 

 pectoral, whilst the dorsal commences opposite the origin of the pectoral. Dorsal low, parallel to 

 the back, and ceasing five scales anterior to the base of the caudal : anal parallel to the abdomen, 

 and ceasing eight scales anterior to the base of the caudal, which latter fin is wedge-shaped, some- 

 times rounded, and in the young is one-fifth of the total length. 



Scales — Broad and irregular on the summit of head, higher than wide on the body. There 

 are three rows of scales between the anterior, and four between the posterior margins of the orbit : 

 the central scale on the head has four in the mesial line anterior to it. Five rows between angle 

 of orbit and that of the preopercle. Lower jaw with a long oval scale, beneath and opposite to 

 the end of the maxilla. 



Lateral line — In single elevated tubes, the scale being also emarginate and with two or three 

 small orifices at its base. It passes along the upper third of the body until it arrives opposite the 

 last quarter of the pectoral where it bends downwards to the centre of the body and is so con- 

 tinued to the caudal. 



Colours — Differ most materially in fishes of this species in accordance with the waters in 

 which they reside, and the season of the year. Those in paddy fields where the water is clear are 



