FRESH-WATER FISHES OF SIAM, OR THAILAND 57' 



TETRAODON LEIURUS Bleeker 



Tetraodon leiurus Bleekeb, 1852 (62), pp. IS, 22 (Batavia). 

 Arothron leiurus Bleeker, 1865 (347), p. 33 (Siaro) ; 1865 (356), p. 172 (Siam) 

 Crayracion leiurus Bleekeb, 1865 (301) , vol. 5. p. 67 ("le Meinam," Central Siam) 

 Tetraodon liurus Hoea, 1923b, p. 184 (Nontaburi). 



Tetrodon leiurus Fowlek 1934a, p. 161 (Chiengmai) ; 1937, p. 264, flgs. 299, 30< 

 (Pitsanulok). 



This is a river species of Java, Borneo, Sumatra, and Thailand, anc 

 ill Thailand it pushes its way far inland. 



Bleeker (1865 [301]) recorded the fish from "the Menam, the greal 

 river of Siam, where it was found by M.-de Castelnau," as the onl^ 

 locality outside the archipelago from which he knew it. Fowler de 

 scribed and figured a specimen, 8.1 cm. long, from the Menam Nan ai 

 Pitsanulok. The fish may be recognized by the characteristic of having 

 the entire head and body except the middle of the abdomen thickly 

 covered with large and small round black or dark brown spots, som< 

 or all of which may have a narrow white edge. 



A length of 13 cm. seems to be about the maximum attained in th( 

 East Indies. 



It has been impossible for the present writer to identify wit! 

 Tetraodon leiurus the various specimens from the Menam Chao Phys 

 and the Tale Sap that Hora (1923b, 1924a) assigned to this species anc 

 they may represent an undescribed species. 



TETRAODON FLUVIATILIS Hamilton 



Tetrodon fluviatiUs Hamilton, 1822, p. 6, pi. 33, fig. 1 (lower parts of Bengal) 

 Tetraodon fiuviatiUs Sauvage, 1883b, p. 155 (Menam Chao Phya). 

 Dichotomy cter fluviatiUs Fowler, 1937, p. 264, fig. 297 Tachin). 



Ranging along the coasts from India to the Philippines and regu- 

 larly entering the large rivers and ascending them into water that is 

 strictly fresh, this species does not appear to be at all common in Thai- 

 land, and there are only a few records from strictly fresh water. 



It reaches a length of 15 cm. or a little more, and is usually marked 

 by numerous round black or dark brown spots on head, back, and sides ; 

 the greenish brown back may have greenish vermiculations ; the belly 

 is white or yellow ; the caudal fin has numerous dark brown cross bands 

 The degree of spinosity varies considerably, and examples are found 

 that are perfectly smooth, although normally there are spines on the 

 head posterior to the eyes, on the abdomen, and on the back and sides 

 anterior to the dorsal and anal fins. 



The fish is very poisonous to human beings and also to ducks and 

 other domestic animals that eat the flesh or viscera. 



