FRESH- WATER FISHES OF SIAM, OR THAILAND 191 



Puntius orphoides Webee and de Beaufort, 1916, vol. 3, p. 193 (Siam). — Fowler, 

 1939, pp. 45, 72 (Peninsular Siam). 



Although this fish is known from Borneo and Java it has apparently 

 not been detected in Malaya. It covers all of Thailand except the 

 waters tributary to the Salwin and others in the western drainage. It 

 is not numerous in the Tale Sap but is very common in streams in and 

 near the town of Nakon Sritamarat. It reaches its greatest abundance 

 in Central Thailand and in waters of Northern Thailand tributary to 

 the Menam Chao Phya, including the upper Menam Nan where Deig- 

 nan collected numerous specimens in 1936. The fish abounds also in 

 Thailand waters of the Mekong watershed and is known from Lake 

 Payao and its connecting streams and lakes ; the Menam Mao (a branch 

 of the Menam Fang) , where in December 1936 Deignan obtained this 

 species in the first fish collections made in that area, and throughout 

 the Menam Mun from its headwaters near Pakjong. It occurs in 

 Chantabun Eiver and other streams in the Southeastern regions, and 

 pushes its way up the brooks on Kao Sabap. In the Khun Tan 

 Mountains, Northern area, it has been taken in Huey Luk at an eleva- 

 tion of 2,000 feet. ,^ 



This fish reaches a length of 25 cm. The largest actually examined 

 in Thailand were 22 cm. long. Full maturity may be attained and 

 spawning take place at 8 cm. or somewhat less. A specimen 9.5 cm. 

 long from Huey Lom, an affluent of the upper Menam Nan, June 

 1936, was greatly distended with nearly ripe eggs ; another 8 cm. long 

 taken at the same time and place had well-developed ovaries ; while 

 two males from the same lot were 6.5 and 7 cm, long. 



This is perhaps the most beautiful local member of the genus. In 

 a mature example the body and head are bright silvery, with the back 

 brownish or bluish ; there is a blood-red area on the opercle, the barbels 

 are green, and the upper part of the iris is blood-red; a transverse 

 black bar marks the posterior margin to the gill opening ; the dorsal, 

 anal, and vertical fins are blood-red; the caudal is red, with a longi- 

 tudinal black marginal band on each lobe, and the pectoral is salmon 

 color. Some specimens show longitudinal dark lines on back and 

 sides following the rows of scales. In young up to 8 to 10 cm. long 

 there may be a very distinct roimd black spot on the back under the 

 anterior part of the dorsal fin (not referred to in any descriptions), 

 and there is a black spot on the caudal peduncle at the base of the 

 caudal fin. The markings may under certain conditions be faint or 

 lacking. Thus in eight bright silvery specimens taken in the clear, 

 shallow Meping at Chiengdao, Northern Thailand, January 28, 1932, 

 there were no red area on the cheeks, no black band along the gill 

 opening, and no dark bands on the caudal lobes, but the black spots 

 under the dorsal fin and on the caudal peduncle were present. 



