86 BULLETIN 188, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



obtain a description of the type specimen and to make an evaluation of 

 the species. Dr. Pellegrin kindly examined the type (which bears the 

 number A6427) and furnished the following information which, with 

 Sauvage's description, affords a clear idea of the specific characters : 

 The number of scales reported in the lateral line, namely 75, is con- 

 firmed; the scales in transverse series are 14 above the lateral line, 7 

 below the lateral line to the middle of the abdomen, and 4 between the 

 lateral line and the base of the ventral ; the predorsal scales number 45 ; 

 the gill rakers on the lower arm of the first arch are 30 ; the natatory 

 vesicle is bipartite ; and the anal rays are iii, 20. 



As will be seen from the preceding key, this species stands out quite 

 distinctly from the other local forms. 



Genus CULTROPS H. M. Smith 



Cultrops H. M. Smith, Journ. Washington Acad. Sci., vol. 28, p. 410, 1938. (Tyi)e, 

 Culter siamensis Hora.) 



The genus Cultrops was established ( 1938c) for fishes that had previ- 

 ously been placed in the genus Culter of Basilewsky (1855), the latter 

 name being regarded as a synonym of Pelecus^ established by Agassiz 

 (1836) for the Linnaean species Cyprirms cultratus. It is the present 

 writer's view that Basilewsky intended to indicate and did indicate 

 Cyprinus cultratus as the type of his genus, this view being supported 

 by the opinion of numerous colleagues to whom this nomenclatorial 

 question w^as submitted. It is, of course, recognized that Basilewsky 

 did not in so many words designate Cyprinus cultratus as the genotype. 

 At that period it was not the practice to indicate the types of fish genera, 

 but it was the obvious intent of that author, in devoting a full line to 

 ^''Cypr. cultratus Linn." immediately after the first mention of the name 

 Culter^ to make it known that the new Asiatic fishes that he was describ- 

 ing were typified by a well-known European fish. If a different view is 

 held by some ichthyologists, the matter will no doubt in time be 

 referred to and adjudicated by the International Commission on 

 Zoological Nomenclature [when it functions again after the second 

 world war]. 



CULTROPS SIAMENSIS (Hora) 



Gulter siamensis Hora, 1923b, p. 149, pi. 10, fig. 1; pi. 11, figs. 4, 5 (Menam Chao 

 Phya at Bangkok).— Fowler, 1935a, p. 109 (Bangkok) ; 1937, p. 163 (Bang- 

 kok). (Species by error credited to Giinther.) 



Culter roolfli Fowuee, 1937, p. 163, flg. 101 (Pitsanulok, Mepoon). 



Cultrops siamensis Smith, 1938c, p. 410 (Siam). 



The type specimen came from the Menam Chao Phya at Bangkok. 

 The fish has now been found throughout that river from Paknampo to 

 near its mouth; in Bung Borapet and its outlets; in the Nan River 



