46 



PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM 



VOL. 79 



Chao Phya at Paknam, Central Siam, August 16, 1924, and a speci- 

 men 8.5 cm. long from the Chantabun River at Lem Sing, South- 

 eastern Siam, July 17, 1928. 



CRYPTOCENTRUS LEONIS. new species 



Description. — Body elongate, moderately compressed, the greatest 

 depth (at origin of first dorsal fin) contained 6 times in standard 

 length ; head large, rather deeper and broader than body, its length 

 3.3 in standard length, depth and breadth equal; profile between 

 eyes and dorsal fin straight and nearly horizontal, anterior profile 

 very steep, almost vertical; snout blunt, its length somewhat more 

 than diameter of eye; mouth large terminal, slightly oblique, lips 

 thick and papillose ; gape extending to a point under posterior part 

 of eye and maxillary reaching half an eye-diameter beyond a vertical 

 from posterior margin of orbit; teeth in a band in each jaw, the 

 outer row enlarged but not canine ; anterior nostril in a long tube ; 





Figure 21.^ — Cryptocentrus leonis 



chin rounded and prominent, cheeks tumid; eyes prominent, situ- 

 ated at the junction of the superior and anterior profiles, very close 

 together, diameter of eye 0.5 length of head; interorbital space nar- 

 row, less than 0.5 eye ; depth of caudal peduncle 0.5 its length and con- 

 tained 3 times in head; scales cycloid, minute, somewhat larger 

 posteriorly, about 125 in longitudinal series from upper angle of 

 branchial aperture, about 30 in transverse series between origins of 

 second dorsal and anal; pectoral base naked; breast covered with 

 small, embedded scales ; predorsal region scaled to a point half way 

 between gill opening and eyes, the scales small, about 35 in median 

 line; opercles and cheeks unsealed. 



Fins: Dorsal rays VI-I,10; anal rays 1,9; first dorsal rather 

 high, anterior spines longer than depth of body, the tips slightly 

 produced; second dorsal similar to anal but its base longer; pos- 

 terior rays of both second dorsal and anal the longer and reaching 

 caudal when depressed; caudal large, broad, pointed, its length 

 exceeding head; ventrals rather broad, rounded, not reaching vent, 

 their length somewhat more than postorbital part of head ; pectorals 

 shorter than ventrals, their base fleshy. 



