FRESH- WATER FISHES OF SI AM, OR THAILAND 



151 



undoubtedly quite distinct. An outstanding feature is the presence 

 of a single row of four pharyngeal teeth ; this is combined with a pair 

 of short maxillary barbels, a dorsal fin having nine branched rays, and 

 a stout, osseous, undenticulated simple ray. 



PROBARBUS JULLIENI Sauvage 



Figure 22 



Proharbus julUeni Sauvage, 1880, p. 232 (Laos, French Indo-China) ; 1881, pp. 163, 

 185, pi. 5, fig. 1 (Laos, French Indo-China).— Smith, 1931d, p. 182 (Menam 

 Chao Phya, Meklong). 



After Proharhus jullieni was first brought to notice, presumably 

 from the Meklong, the fish seems to have been met with rarely, if at 

 all, until 1923, when the writer discovered it in Thailand. It is inter- 

 esting to note that the known range has recently been extended to the 

 Malay Peninsula. Herre and Myers (1937) record a specimen 38.5 

 cm. long from Perak, one of the Federated Malay States. 



Figure 22.— Probarbus jullieni Sauvage. Drawn by Luang Masya; courtesy of the 



Thailand Government. 



This fish has a peculiar local distribution, being known only from 

 the Menam Chao Phya and one of its tributaries (the Pasak) and the 

 Meklong, It has always been more numerous in the Meklong, which 

 is a stream with much sandy bottom, while the Menam Chao Phya has 

 mostly muddy bottom. Not much information has been gathered in 

 regard to early abundance, but for at least 65 years the fish has been 

 comparatively scarce. At the present time probably the deep, clear 

 waters of the Kwe Noi, or west branch of the Meklong, are its favorite 

 haunts. 



In the Meklong the fish reaches a length of a meter. The largest 

 actually seen by the writer was 86 cm. long; this, examined alive at 

 Tvajaburi, had been caught on a hook baited with a ball of cooked rice, 

 and was offered for sale at 10 ticals. Another fish, 60 cm. long, seen 

 at Sai Yok while still alive, had been taken on a worm-baited hook. 



