612 PHTSOSTOMI. 



prominent. Barhels six, two rostral and one inaxillary pair. No spine on the head. Dorsal fin of moderate length, 

 commencing somewhat in advance of the ventrals. Caudal forked. 



The appearance is very similar to Acanthopsis, but there is no spine on the head. 



SYNOPSIS OF INDIVIDUAL SPECIES. 



1. Nemachilichthjs Eiippelli, D. 13, A. 7. Greenish yellow, with brown bands : fins yellow, with black 

 bands or rows of spots. Deccan. 



Nemachilichthys Ruppelli, Plate CLV, fig. 7. 



CoUtis Ruppelli Sykes, Trans. Zool. Soc. ii, p. 366, pi. 64, fig. 1 ; Bleeker, Beng. p. 70. 

 Nemacheilus Biippelli, Day, J. A. S. Beng. 1872, p. 184. 



B. iii, D. 13(Jj-), P. 13, V. 8, A. 7(f), C. 19. 



Lengtli of head 5f, of caudal -5, height of body 7h in the total length. Eyes — slightly behind the 

 middle of the length of the head, 2i diameters from end of snout. Head pointed. Barbels — four well 

 developed rostral ones joined at their bases, and nearly 1/2 as long as the head, also a maxillary pair. Fins — 

 dorsal arises midway between the snout and base of the caudal wliicli is forked : the upper margin of the 

 dorsal fin straight. Scales — moderately developed. Lateral-line — distinct. Colours — greenish yellow except 

 the abdomen which is white, short brown bars along the lateral-line, and the rays of the dorsal and anal barred. 

 Caudal with four posteriorly directed V-shaped brown bars. A black spot at the base of the upper caudal 

 lobe. 



The elongated snout of this species is very similar to that seen in Acanthopsis, but it has no spine on the 

 head : its rostral barbels arise on one base as seen in Botia. 



Habitat. — Deccan. The example figured (Hfe size) was from Poena. 



Genus, 9— Nemacheilus, van Hasselt. 



Acoura and Acourus, Swains. : Acanthocobitis, Peters : Oreias, Sauvage : Biplophysa, Kessler.* 



Body elongated. Dorsal profile nearly horizontal. Barbels eight or six, when the former number is present, 



the extra pair belongs to the ■posterior nostrils ; twne on the mandibles. No spine on the head. Dorsal fin of moderate 



length, or short, situated opposite the ventrals. 



This genus has been subdivided into those species which have upwards of twelve dorsal rays 

 (Acanthocolitis), and those with less than twelve. As this arbitrary division is not a natural one, it is not 

 adopted here. Another subdivision has been instituted into those in which the tail is forked, and those in 

 which it is entire. The genus, may, however, be subdivided into those with eight and those with six barbels. 



Amongst these little fishes there are several subjects that have to be mentioned, which though of 

 consequence in some carps appear to be of le.«s value in the loaches. The height of the body is liable to vary 

 considerably in accordance with whether it is well or ill nourished. The number of rays in the dorsal fin in 

 sorne (N. botia) appear to be subject to variation. Sometimes the preorbital is raised and with a free lower edge, 

 while this may not occur in all examples of the same species : and the form of the caudal fin likewise 

 is occasionally inconstant, being slightly convex, concave, or cut square in fishes of the same species. 



^ Some species are strongly compressed posteriorly, and in those from hilly regions we sometimes see folds 

 of skin more or less covering the eye like a lid. 



Geographical distrihidion. — Fresh waters of India, Ceylon, and Burma. 



SYNOPSIS OF SPECIES, 



a. With eight barbels. 



1. Nemacheilus Evezardi, D. 9. Greenish, with small dark blotches. Poona in the Deccan. 



b. With six barbels. 



2. Nemacheilus pavonaceus, J). \Q-20. Body barred ; caudal slightly notched. 



3. Nemacheilus rubidipinnis, D. 15-16. Body with 12 to 15 bands. Caudal emarginate. Tenasserim. 



4. Nemacheilus botia, D. 11-14. Body irregularly blotched. Caudal entire or slightly emarginate. 

 Througliout India and Ceylon, except Malabar. 



5. Nemacheilus monoceros, D. 12. Caudal and dorsal fins barred. Caudal rounded. Assam. 



6. Nemacheilus pulchellus, D. 12. Caudal forked. Yellow blotches on body. Fins barred. Bowany 

 river. 



7. Nemacheilus sinuatus, D. 10-11. Caudal cut square. Vertical brown bands, with shorter inter- 

 mediate ones. Dorsal and caudal barred. Wynaad. 



* This includes species from Western Turke.stan, having the air-vessel in two parts, the anterior enclosed in a bony capsule, 

 the posterior free and elongated in the abdominal cavity. 



