34 BULLETIN 188, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



Hypophthalmichthpfi moUtrix (Cuvier and Valeuciennes). 

 Ctenopharyngodon idellus (Ciivier and Valenciennes). 

 Mylopharyngodoit aetiops (Basilewsky). 



VERNACULAR NAMES 



The vast majority of the fresh-water fishes of Thailand have dis- 

 tinctive vernacular names, some of which have borne the test of cen- 

 turies of use. Many of these names are very apt and clever and sug- 

 gest either a delightful imagination on the part of the early fishermen 

 or an acquaintance with the structure and habits of given species. 



Without implying the attachment of undue importance to colloquial 

 fish names, it is the intention to record in this catalog these names in 

 Roman characters and to indicate their English significance or mean- 

 ing whenever possible. It should be understood, however, that the 

 exact transcription of Thai words into Roman characters is not possi- 

 ble without the employment of many diacritical marks, whose use and 

 explanation would lead us too far afield for present purposes. 



With rare exceptions, the name of a fish in Thai usage is preceded 

 by the word pla (fish). Most names consist of a simple word which 

 may be a noun, an adjective, or a participle; thus, pla 7nu, hogfish; pla 

 deng, redfish; pla duk, wrigglingfish. Qualifying words follow the 

 regular names ; thus pla mu khao, white hogfish ; pla deng tale^ sea red- 

 fish; pla duk uey^ fat wrigglingfish. 



Among the few vernacular names in which the prefix pla is not used 

 may be mentioned ma nam, or waterhorse, applied to both the seahorse 

 (Hippocampus) and to a certain fresh-water pipefish {Ichthyocam- 

 pus). The syllable ma in this name, pronounced with a high-pitched 

 tone and meaning horse, must be distinguished from the ma in pla 

 lin Tna, a general name for soles {Synaptura and Cynoglossus) in which 

 7tia, pronounced with a rising inflection, means dog, the full name be- 

 ing translated as dog-tonguefish. This colloquial term, originating in 

 Asiatic jungles, is essentially the same as hound-tongue used in western 

 Europe for Cynoglossus, and both are the equivalent of the ancient 

 Greek designation for a similar fish that has been perpetuated in the 

 generic name. 



As an example of fantastic fish names, there may be mentioned 

 pla jim fan jorake, given to a large fresh-water pipefish; jim fan 

 means toothpick, jorake means crocodile; so the translation of the 

 name would be crocodile toothpick fish. 



Some names are onomatopoeic. Common examples are pla kot 

 and pla yk, generally applied to various catfishes that when caught 

 emit a sound closely approximated by the names. 



In a large number of fish names there is a prefix, ka, whose signifi- 

 cance has not been satisfactorily explained. That it is not now a 



