294 BULLETIN 188, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 

 LEPIDOCEPHALUS OCTOCIRRHUS (van Hasselt) 



Figure 59 



Cohitis octocirrhus van Hasselt, 1823, p. 133 (Java). 

 Lepidocephalus hasselti Hora, 1924a, p. 468 (Tale Sap). 



Lepidocephalus hasseltii Fowler, 1934a, p. 104 (Chiengdao, Cbiengmai, Chanta- 

 bun). 



This fish is known from Java and Sumatra and from parts of Burma 

 adjacent to Thailand (although not recorded by Day). It was first 

 recorded from Thailand in 1924 when Hora reported a young speci- 

 men from the Tale Sap. Since that time it has been taken in various 

 parts of the country: Numerous localities in Peninsular Siam, in- 

 cluding a mountain brook near Patalung, Klong Thalerng near Ronpi- 

 bun, Klong Tadi and Klong Nakon Nai in Nakon Sritamarat; Bung 

 Borapet, Central district; the Meping at Chiengmai and Chiengdao, 

 Northern area ; Chantabun and Nong Yang, Southeastern region ; and 

 a small stream entering the Mekong at Chaiburi, Eastern Thailand. 

 More recently Deignan has taken numerous specimens in Huey Aw, a 

 tributary of the Menam Nan in the Northern region, and in the Menam 

 Mao, a tributary of the Menam Fang (thence via the Menam Kok into 

 the ]Mekong) and has extended the range to Burma by obtaining speci- 

 mens in the Salwin at Ta Ta Fang, in Northern Thailand, where that 

 river forms the boundary between Thailand and Burma. 





Figure 59. — Lepidocephalus octocirrhus (van Hasselt). Drawn by Nai Chote Suvatti; 

 courtesy of the Thailand Government. 



Although a length of only 5 cm. is ascribed to the fish by Weber and 

 Beaufort, specimens up to 8.9 cm. have been collected in Peninsular 

 Siam and a length of 12 to 14 cm. is reported b^^ local fishermen. 



The favorite haunts are clear, swift streams with sandy bottom. 



Among specimens collected in the Meping at Chiengdao April 28, 

 1925, is a female, 6.5 cm. long, containing well-matured eggs. Nu- 

 merous young specimens with the same data indicate that up to a 

 length of about 4 cm. there is a well-defined dark line along the side, 

 with no indication of the dark spots which are seen in older fish ; at 

 the size indicated dark spots begin to appear along the side and the 

 line gradually disappears. Specimens 7.1 to 7.7 cm. long from the 



