290 CHAEACINID.^.. 



in interorbital width ; a narrow adipose lid in front of and behind the 

 eye. Gill-rakers very short, closely set. Dorsal 17-18 (4 unbranched), 

 originating at equal distance from end of snout and from caudal, pointed, 

 lonfrest ray nearly as long as head. Adipose fin scaly, as long as its 

 distance from dorsal. Anal 20-21 (3 unbranched), pointed in front. 

 Pectoral half length of head, shorter than ventral. Caudal forked, with 

 pointed lobes. Caudal peduncle a little deeper than long. Scales ol ^> 

 12 between lateral line and root of ventral, each scale bearing G-IO 

 raised lines ending in a spine. Browm above, bright yellow beneath ; 

 an oblique blackish band from in front of the dorsal to the base of the 

 ventral ; upper surface of head and opercular fold black ; pectorals 

 yellow, ventrals black; dorsal, anal, and caudal grey at the base, black 

 at the end. 



Total length 1 oO milliin. 



Lower Niger. 



1. Tvpo. Lnko Cloiiiii. I>r. \V. J. Amorrro (P.). 



2. Y<>. Al)o. „ (('.). 



20. CITHARINUS. 



Cuv. l{(on(. Anim. ii. p. K18 (18J7), I'jirt. ; ('n\. Si V:d. Hist. Poisp. xxii. p. 94 



(1849), part. ; Miill. & Tro5ch. Hor. Ichthyol. iii. ]>. 8 (184.5) ; Giinth. Cat. 



Fish. V. p. 302 (1864) ; Boulong. Poiss. Bass. Congo, p. 201 (1901), and 



Fish. Nile, p. 152 (1907). 



Snout short ; mouth wide, straiglit, terminal or subinferior, with 



minute pointed teeth inserted on the labial margin ; maxillary small, 



toothless. Cheek partly naked ; nostrils close together, separated by a 



valvular flap ; gill-membranes free from isthmus. Body sliort, very 



strongly compressed. Scales moderate or small, not denticulate ; lateral 



line straight, equally distant from the dorsal and the ventral outlines, 



or nearer the former; a scaly process at base of ventral fin. Dorsal 



fin with 17-23 rays, above or behind the vertical of the ventrals; anal 



with 20-31 rays; a small or rather large adipose dorsal fin. Vcrtebric 



42-44 (24-25 + 18-19). 



Small scales cover the adipose fin, at least at the base. An accessory 

 branchial organ, behind the fourth gill. 

 Nile and Tropical Africa. 



