FRESH-WATER FISHES OF SIAM, OR THAILAND 117 



Subfamily Cyprininae: Typical Minnows and Carps 



The subfamily Cyprininae contains the great bulk of the cyprinoid 

 fishes of Thailand. There are 37 local genera besides the exotic carp 

 Gyprinus carpio Linnaeus,^ and the number of local species is 145. 

 The genera are for the most part well differentiated and may be 

 identified by the following key : 



la. Mouth anterior or subinferior. 

 2a. Lateral line running in lower part of caudal peduncle and terminating 

 below midbase of caudal tin ; dorsal fin with 7 or 8 branched rays and no 

 osseous denticulated simple ray, 

 3a. Ring of suborbital bones of moderate bi*eadth ; both lips developed ; lower 

 jaw with no sharp bony edge ; rostral and maxillary barbels present. 



Leptobarbus 

 3&. Ring of suborbital bones broad ; no lower lip ; lower jaw with a sharp 



crescentic bony edge; no barbels AEpidoparia 



26. Lateral line running in middle or lower part of caudal peduncle and ter- 

 minating at midbase of caudal fin. 

 4a. Dorsal fin with less than 20 branched rays. 



5a. A gelatinous or adipose eyelid ; branched dorsal rays 8 ; last simple 

 dorsal ray osseous and denticulated. 

 6a. Snout of moderate length, about equal to eye, not abruptly decurved ; 

 depth equal to or less than head; minute rostral and maxillary 

 barbels ; maxillary extending to vertical from front margin of 

 eye ; no postsymphyseal tubercle in lower jaw ; gill rakers long ; 

 cireumpeduncular scales 16 ; origin of dorsal fin anterior to origin 



of ventrals ; branched anal rays 5 Albulichthys 



6b. Snout very short and blunt, 0.5 in eye, abruptly decurved; depth 

 greater than head; barbels absent; maxillary extending halfway 

 to vertical from front margin of eye; a small postsymphyseal 

 tubercle on lower jaw ; gill rakers rudimentary ; cireumpedun- 

 cular scales 14 ; origin of dorsal fin posterior to origin of ventrals ; 



branched anal rays 6 Sikukia 



5&. No well-developed annular eyelids. 



la. A procumbent predorsal spine ; barbels 4, 2, or none ; branched dorsal 

 rays 8 to 10 ; last simple dorsal ray osseous and entire or denticu- 

 lated; branched anal rays 6 to 10 Mystacoleucus 



76. No procumbent predorsal spine. 

 8a. Branched dorsal rays 7 to 10. 

 9a. Scales in lateral line 23 to 60 ; upper lip present. 



» This species, the common carp of Asia, very successfully, perhaps too successfully, 

 transplanted to Europe and thence to America, has escaped from ponds into which it has 

 been introduced from China and is becoming more and more common in the rivers of Central 

 Thailand. It is recorded by Fowler (1937, p. 173) from Bangkok. The fish may be recog- 

 nized by its terminal mouth, 4 barbels, molarlike pharyngeal teeth in 3 series (3, 1, 1), long 

 dorsal fin (with 17 to 22 branched rays) with its last simple ray ossified and serrated, and 

 short anal fin with its last simple ray strongly ossified and serrated. The common gold- 

 fish (Carasaius auratus Linnaeus), which when escaped from cultivation ultimately reverts 

 to a dark olivaceous color resembling the carp, may be recognized by the absence of barbels, 

 fins essentially as in Cypritius carpio, and pharyngeal teeth in a single series of 4. 

 590087 — i5 9 



