212 BULLETIN 188, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 

 OSTEOCHILUS BORNEENSIS (Blecker) 



Rohita horneemts Eleekee, 1&37 (162), p. 17 (Borneo); 1859-60 (239), p. 102 



(Siam [after Castelnau]). 

 Rohita {Rohita) horneensis Bleekee, 1865 (356), p. 175 (Siam). 

 Osteochilus horneensis Webee aud de Beatxfokt, 1916, vol. 3, p. 126 (Siam [after 



Bleeker]). 



This species was identified by Bleeker from a drawing by Castelnau 

 contained in an album of Thai fishes. No collection in Thailand 

 has yielded this fish. One may suggest that the drawing was in- 

 iiccurate, that it was not based on a Thai specimen, or that Bleeker mis- 

 identified it. Several species represented in Castelnau's drawings as 

 listed by Bleeker were certainly not Thai : one of them was Acantho- 

 hranva simoni from China and another was Pseudoxipho'phorus himac- 

 iilatus (Heckel) from Mexico. In view of the occurrence in Thai- 

 land of many Bornean sijecies, the finding of 0. horneensis in Thailand 

 is not impossible, and it is retained in this catalog in view of that con- 

 tingency. 



OSTEOCHILUS MELANOPLEURA (Bleeker) 



Rohita melunoplenra Bleeker, 1852 (55), p. 430 (Bandjermassing, Borneo; 



Palembang, Sumatra). 

 Rohita (Rohita) melanopleura Bieeker, 18G5 (356), p. 175 (Siam). 

 Osteochilus melon opleurus von Maetens, 1876, p. 401 (Bangkoli). — Sau\'Age, 1881, 



p. 163 (Bangkoli) ; 1883b. p. 152 (Meuam Chao Phya).— Fowler, 1934a, p. 



116 (Bangkok) ; 1934b, p. 343 (Bangkok) ; 1935a, p. 115 (Bangkok) ; 1937. 



p. 179 (Bangkok). 

 Osteochilus melanopleura Weber and de BEAtJFORT, 1910, vol. 3, p. 127 (Siam). — 



HoRA, 1923b, p. 154 (Bangkok, Nontaburi).— Vipxjlya, 1923, p. 226 (Bangkok). 



From Borneo and Sumatra, the range of this fish extends to the 

 Malay States and Peninsular Thailand, Central region, and Eastern 

 area, but there are no available records for the moimtain regions of 

 Northern and Western Thailand. Specimens have been examined 

 from the Tale Noi, the Tapi River near Bandon, the Meklong, 

 throughout the Menam Chao Phya, the Mewang at Lampang, and the 

 Menam Mun east of Korat. 



This is the largest of the local species of Osteochilus. A length of 

 37 cm. is assigned for the East Indies. In Thailand, examples 27 

 to 30 cm. long are frequently met with; a specimen of 38 cm. was 

 taken in the east branch of the Kanburi River in September 1928 and 

 fish fully 40 cm. long have been observed. 



The fish is easily recognizable by its abruptly ascending mouth, 

 fringed lips, long dorsal fin, generally grayish -green color of body, 

 with numerous irregularly disposed small silvery spots and a large 

 blackish transverse blotch on the anterior part of the body. 



Anglers using dough, prawns, and insects as bait catch this fish 

 in the Menam Chao Phya and other large rivers. 



