ALESTES. 



217 



21. ALESTES MACKOLEPIDOTUS. 



Bvyciims macrolepidotus, Cuv. & Val. Hist. Poiss. xxii. p. 157, pi. ccccccxxxix. 



(184D). 

 Alestes macrolepidotns, Bilharz, Sitzb. Ak. Wieii, ix. 1852, p. 409, pi. xxxvii. ; 



Kner, Denksclir. Ak. Wien, xviii. 18G0, p. 19 ; Guutli. Cat. Fish. v. p. 313 



(1861), and Petherick's Trav. ii. p. 212 (1809) ; Steind. Sitzb. Ak. Wien, Ixi. 



i. 1870, p. 540, pl. i. ; Werner, Sitzb. Ak. Wien, cxv. i. 1900, p. ] 128 ; 



Bouleng. Fish. Nile, p. 127, pl. xx. (1907). 

 Alestes macrolepidotus, part., Bouleng. Poiss. Bass. Congo, p. 158 (1901). 



Depth of body ^ to 4| times in total length, length of head o\ to 

 4 1 times. Head much flattened above, If to 2 times as long as broad, 

 IJ to 1^ times as long as deep, its width considerably greater than its 

 length to occiput ; snout rounded and about as long as eye in young, more 



Eig. 163. 



Alestes macrolepidotns. 

 Blue Nile (E. N.). \. 



pointed, projecting beyond lower lip, and 1^ to 2 times as long as eye in 

 adult ; eye infero-Iateral, not or scarcely visible from above, well visible 

 from beneath, its diameter 3 (young) to 5 J times in length of head ; 

 adipose eyelid scarcely developed ; interorbital width 2 to 2\ times in 

 length of head ; maxillary not reaching to below anterior border of eye ; 

 16 to 20 teeth (^) in upper jaw, 8 or 10 {—) in lower; lower border 

 of second suborbital as long as or a little longer than diameter of eye. 

 Gill-rakers thin and moderately long, 18-22 on lower part of anterior 

 arch. Dorsal II 8 (rarely 7), above middle of space between ventrals 

 and anal, considerably nearer caudal than occiput; first branched 

 ray longest, f to J length of head. Anal III 12-14. Pectoral as 

 long as head or a little shorter, sometimes nearly reaching ventral. 



