496 PHTSOSTOMI. 



Genus, 27 — Gltptosteenum, McClelland. 



Ghjptolhomx, Blytli. 



Branehiostegals from six to ahotit ten. Gill-opening.? rather mde, gill-memhranes confluent with the skin of 

 the isthmus. Head rather depressed and covered loith soft shin. Eyes small, subcutaneous. Mouth inferior, transverse, 

 vnth the upper jaw the longer. Nostrils close together, separated hy a harhel. Barbels eight, one nasal, one 

 maxillary, and two mandihular jiaiVs, the maxillary ones with hroad bases. Villiform teeth in the jaws : palate 

 edentulous. Dorsal fin with a spine and six or seven rays : an adipose fin present. Pectoral horizontal, vnth a strong 

 spine some of its rays being occasionally plaited inferiorly, and an adhesive apparatus exists between the bases of the 

 two pectoral fins on the chest, composed of longitudinal plaits. Ve^itral with six rays, situated posterior to the dorsal. 

 Anal with a moderate (9-12) number of rays. Caudal forhed. Air-vessel, u-hen present,* rn tim lateral portions 

 more or less enclosed in bone. 



Blyth instituted Glyptothorax for tbose species having a spine to the dorsal fin, as McClelland in his 

 definition of his Genus observed " spines when present are concealed within the membrane of the fins," and gave 

 as his type Glyptosternum retkidatus, observing " without spines." 



Geographical distribution.— These fishes are found along the Himalayas and rivers at their bases from 

 Afo-hanistan to the extreme east of Assam, also in the Malay Archipelago. They are also present m some rivers 

 in the plains of India, but usually not far removed from hills. They appear especially adapted for strong streams 

 and those of hilly districts. 



It is certainly open to question whether some of the following might not more properly be termed varieties 

 than species. Roughness of the external edge of the pectoral spine may certainly exist in species in wliich it is 

 normally smooth. 



SYNOPSIS OF SPECIES. 



1 Glyptosternum lonah, A. 11-13. Length of head 5 to r>\ in the total. IMaxiUary barbels reach 

 pectoral fin. Pectoral spine rough or smooth externally. Dorsal spine smooth. Brown, with black marks. 



Jumna and the Deccan. _ , ,r .„ , , , i .i ^ i 



2. Glyptosternum trilineatum, A. 13. Length of head 6 m the total. Maxillary barbels reach the pectoral 

 fin Chestnut-brown, with two light longitudinal bands. Nepal and Burma. 



3 GU/ptosternum conirostrc, A. 11-12. Width of head 2/3 of its length. Adhesive apparatus rather 

 elongated and narrow. Maxillary barbels reach middle of pectoral fin. Himalayas from Kangra and Simla. 



4 Glyptosternum botia, A. 11-12. Pupil of eyes transversely oval. MaxiUary barbels reach to below 

 the hind edge of the eye. Skin roughened with small spinate tuberosities. Jumna and rivers of Northern 



^"^"^ 5 Ghiptosternum telchitta, A. 11. Pupil of eyes circular. Maxillary barbels reach to below the hind 

 ed^e of eyes Skin looks as if it had scales imbedded in it. Punjab, N. W. Provmces, Bengal, and Behar. 

 ° 6. Glyptosteriium striatum, A. 11. Head 4 J in the total length. MaxUlary barbels reach first third of the 



pec ora^s. ^^^^^^^^^^^^.^^ ^^^^ 'Madraspatannm, A. 10-11. Maxillary barbels reach base of pectoral fin. Dorsal spine 

 with serrations on both edges. Bowany river, Madras. ,.,,., ,r •„ , , , 



8 Ghiptosternum. pectinopterimi, A. 9-11. Width of head nearly equals its length. Maxillary barbel 

 reaches base" of pectoral spine. Adhesive apparatus wider than long. Himalayas to Simla and Darjeehng. 



9. Glyptostermim cavia, A. 9. Upper sui'face of head with elevated spots. Maxillary barbels as long as 

 the head. Ramghur district of Bengal. 



1. Glyptosternum lonah, Plate CXIII, fig. 5. 



Bagrus lonah, Sykes, Trans. Zool. Soc. ii, p. 371. 

 Glyptosternum. lonah, Giinther, Catal. v, p. '' S7. 

 Glyptosternum, Dehkanense, Giinther, Catal. v, p. 187. 



D. i/0, P. 1/9, V. 6, A. 11-13 (J-^ij), C. 15-17. 



Leno-th of head 5 to 5}, of caudal 5, height of body 7 in the total length. %es— slightly behind the 

 middle of the length of the head, the width of the interorbital space equals 1/3 to 2/7 of the length of the head. 

 Width of head nearly or quite equals its length : upper surface rough. Width of gape of mouth equals 2* to 3 

 in the lencrth of the head. Lips not fringed. Occipital process nearly or quite four times as long as broad. 

 Barbels— the nasal reach half way to the orbit, the maxillary extend to the base or first third of the pectoral, 

 the outer mandibular pair to the gill-opening, whilst the inner are shorter. F///.S— dorsal higher than the body, its 

 spine rather slender, enveloped in skin. If 'to 2i in the length of the head : adipose dorsal with its base longer 

 than that of the first dorsal, and equal to half the interspace between the two fins. Pectoral spine moderately 

 broad internally strongly denticulated, externallv roughened in some specimens, smooth m others, the fin does 

 not nearly reach the ventral. Caudal forked. Caudal peduncle— twice as long as high m the young, two-thirds 



* lu G. iladraspatanum I have been unable to linil an air-vessel. 



