290 BULLETIN 18 8, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



BOTIA HORAE H. M. Smith 



FiGUEE 57 



Botia horae Smith, 1931a, p. 4, fig. 2 (Mekloug).— Fowlek, 1937, p. 154 (Meping 



at Chieugmai). 

 Botia modesta Fowlek, 1934a, p. 101, figs. 53, 54 (Chiengmai). 



This fish, described from two small specimens from the west branch 

 (Kwe Noi) of the Meklong, has since been found to have a rather 

 wide distribution. Specimens have been examined from such widely 

 separated localities as the Meping at Chiengmai, Northern Thailand, 

 the headwaters of the Menam Mun at Pakjong, Eastern Thailand, and 

 the headwaters of the Tapi in the Peninsula. 



This is a small species. The maximum size of specimens examined 

 was 9.5 cm., a female with greatly enlarged ovaries taken at Pakjong 

 June 20, 1934. 



. ,.f*,?7BP!s«|5Pa>«' 



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Figure 57. — Botia horae H. M. Smith. Drawn by Luang Masya; courtesy of the Thailand 



Government. 



The species has a characteristic coloration at all ages : The general 

 color of head and body is light brown ; there is a broad black median 

 stripe extending along the dorsal surface from the tip of the snout 

 to the base of the caudal fin, this stripe connected posteriorly with a 

 broad transverse band across each side of the caudal peduncle at 

 the base of the caudal fin. The body and sides are marked by narrow 

 dark vertical cross bands, which are most conspicuous on, and may 

 be restricted to, the anterior third of the body but may extend the 

 entire length. The caudal fin has numerous small round brownish 

 spots, which tend to form into transverse lines. In examples up to 

 4 cm. long the black middorsal stripe may be composed of rounded 

 or elongated divisions, which may be disconnected, and there are 

 three or four evenly spaced black cross bands. Color variations in 

 adult examples are (1) the division of the middorsal stripe into two 

 narrower sections, which enclose the base of the dorsal fin, while ordi- 



