8 PROCEEDINGS OF THE IN'ATIONAL MUSEUM vol.84 



CALLOCHROMIS PLEUROSPILUS (Boulengcr) 



The oroniis CallochroTnis Regan is composed of four species de- 

 scribed by Boulenger (1915, pp. 421^25). The 41 examples re- 

 corded below are smaller than most of Boulengers but are large 

 enough (average about 40 mm in standard length) for comparison. 

 I have, however, experienced great difficulty in their determination 

 and have come to the conclusion that Boulenger's arrangement must 

 be amended. Either some of the species must be synonymized or 

 more than four recognized. 



The 41 specimens, U.S.N.M. nos. 84117 and 84125, are all from 

 Ujiji. On no character can I separate them into more than one 

 form, yet different examples would fall into C. rhodostigina and G. 

 fleurosfiliif. The variation in the extent of the mouth is consider- 

 able, some having the maxillary reaching slightly behind the front 

 of the eye, while in others it does not nearly reach below the eye. 

 There is every gradation between. The soft anal rays vary from 5 

 to 7 in number (normally 7), and the teeth in the outer row in the 

 upper jaw vary from 4G to over 60. Scales between the beginning 

 of the lateral line series and the dorsal origin 41^ in most and 3I/2 

 in a few. 



It is possible that in C allochromis we have one of those genera 

 in which the species are most easily determined bj^ the coloration 

 of the fresh specimens, but much of the color of my examples is 

 gone. All have a prominent dark opercular spot, dark tipped dorsal 

 lappets, and some indication of an indistinct row or connected series 

 of median lateral spots. In this they seem to agree with Boulenger's 

 figures (Boulenger, 190G, pi. 39, fig. 2 and 2a). 



CALLOCHROMIS MACROPS (Boulengcr) 



One small example, U.S.N.IM. no. 102084, 29 mm in standard 

 length, was separated from the lot of C. fleiirosjyilus from Ujiji 

 because of its obviouslj^ different physiognomy, greater depth, more 

 compressed body, wider interorbital, different color, and its longer 

 and more numerous dorsal spines (dorsal XVI-12). In color the 

 lateral spots appear inclined to form a trace of faint, wide vertical 

 bands, which alternate with dark areas along the base of the dorsal 

 fin. I place the specimen here because of its great resemblance to 

 Boulenger's original figure of one of the types of macrops (Boul- 

 enger, 1898, pi. 3, fig. 2) . After examining this fish and the series of 

 pleurospllus, I am inclined to doubt the specific identity of 

 Pelmatochromis melanostigma (Boulenger, 1906, p. 567, pi. 38, fig. 1) 

 with the figured type of macro'ps^ in spite of the smaller size of 

 the latter. 



