POLTPTERUS. 



3. POLYPTERUS OONGICUS. 



Bonleng. Ann. & Mng. N. H. (7) ii. 1808, p. 418, Ann. Mus. Congo, Zool. i. 



pi. XXX. fig. 1 (1899), Poiss. Bass. Congo, p. 22 (1901), Proc. Zool. Soc. 



1902, i. p. 123, pi. xi. fig. 1, and Tr. Zool. Soc. xvi. 1901, p. 112, and xvii. 



1906, p. 511. 



Head rather depressed, H to If times as long as broad, its length 



4 to 5 times in total length ; lower jaw projecting a little beyond snout ; 



eye supero-lateral, its diameter 8 (young) to 12 times in length of head, 



]| to 3 times in width of interorbital region, 

 which is flat ; nasal shields usually separated, 

 in the adult, by a small azygous shield ; a 

 , series of 4 or 5 shields between postorbital 

 and spiracular shields ; subopercnlum much 

 larger than eye. Dorsal with XII-XIV 



Fi 





^^^i 



■S l^S0 i.^ _«=! 



i--^^^^? 



■M<M^: 



'j^ 



Polypterus covr/icus. Type. 



spines, anterior more or less overlapping when folded. Anal 12-15. 

 Pectoral reaching vertical of first dorsal spine, or beyond. 55-59 

 scales in a longitudinal series, 11-15 between occiput and first dorsal 

 spine, 46-52 round middle of body. Olive above, yellowish beneath ; 

 6 to 8 more or less regular blackish narrow transverse bands on the 

 body ; fins spotted or mottled with blackish. 



Total length 720 millira. 



Congo, Lake Tanganyika. 



1. Ad., type. 



2. Yg. 



3. Yg. 



4. Yg. 



5. Ad. 

 6-9. Ad. 



10. Ad. 



Stanley Falls. Rev. W. H. Bentley {C). 



New Antwerp, Upper Congo. Capt. Wilverth (C). 



Bolobo, Upper Congo. Rev. G. Grenfell (P.)- 



Bangala Country, Upper Congo. M. De Meiise (C). 



Upper Congo. Brussels University. 



Kalambo, L. Tanganyika. Prof. J. E. S. Moore (C). 



Kituta, „ Ur.W.A.Cunnington(C.). 



