190 CHARACmiD^. 



much produced, the longest more than half total length. Anal III 20. 

 Pectoral as long as ventral. Caudal forked, with pointed lobes. Caudal 

 peduncle a little longer than deep. Scales 38 ^, 3 between lateral line 

 and root of ventral. Brownish above, yellowish beneath ; extremity of 

 dorsal and ventral and edge of anal and caudal blackish. 



Total length 80 millim. 



Upper Congo. 

 1. Type. Upper Con^ro. Brussels University. 



4. ALESTES. 



Myletes, part., Cuv. Me'm. Mu';. iv. 1818, p. 441. 



Alestes, part., Mull. & Troscli. Hor. Ichthyol. i. p. 12 (1846). 



Alestes, Cuv. & Yal. Hist. Poiss. xxii. p. 179 (1849) ; Giintb. Cat. Fish. v. p. 312 



(1864) ; Bouleng. Poiss. Bass. Congo, p. 148 (1901), and Fish. Nile, p. 110 



(1907). 

 Brycinus^ Cuv. & Val. t. c. p. 157. 

 Bracliyalestes, part., Giinth. t. c. p. 314. 



Snout short ; mouth moderately large ; prpemaxillary bones not movable, 

 with two series of strong teeth few in number, the outer compressed and 

 tri- or quinquecuspid, the inner with molar-like, obliquely truncate or 

 excavated crowns, each armed with several pointed tubercles ; mandibular 

 teeth in two series, the outer composed of several pluricuspid teeth, the 

 inner cf a pair of conical teeth; maxillary bone toothless, moderately 

 large. Cheek covered by the large suborbitals ; nostrils near the eye, 

 close together, separated by a valvular flap ; gill-membranes free from 

 the isthmus ; 4 branchiostegal rays. Body more or less elongate and 

 compressed; belly rounded. Scales moderate or large, not ciliated; 

 lateral line nearer the ventral than the dorsal outline ; a scaly process at 

 the base of the ventral fin. Dorsal fin with 9 to 11 rays, above or behind 

 the veiticalof the ventrals ; anal tin with 13 to 30 rays; a small adipose 

 dorsal fin. Vertebrte 37—51. 



Africa. 



Synopsis of the Species. 



I. Scales 39-50 ^t#. 



A. Dorsal originating behind vertical of base of ventrals ; scales 44-51 -^^ '■> 

 depth of body 3| to bl times in total length. 

 A. 22-26 ; gill-rakers 20-26 on lower part 

 of anterior arch ; dorsal originating just 

 behind vertical of last nay of ventral . 1. A, dentex, L., p. 193. 



