cm (IAN CAIU'. 



r.1/ 



bviiiicliiusteji'al iiieniliraiics coalesce witli flic sides of tlie 

 istliinus, at a distance from eacli otlier which is c(|iial 

 in ol<l s|iccinicns tu the IdUgitlldinal diunietcr of the 

 eye. The size of the gill-openings is ciiiist'i|iieiitly not 

 vevx consideralilc, though greater than in the ('arji, 

 the iicad heing nnich deeper. The hranchidstcgal mem- 

 brane forms a i)i-oad, membranous rim. usually broader 

 than in the Carp, along the margins of the operculum 

 and suboperculum. The gill-raki'i-s are uf the same 

 soft structure as in the Carp, but more numerous, tiie 

 outer row on tlic front of tiie first l)ranchial arch con- 

 taining about 2(! — o(l. Tlie lower pharyngeals are 

 furnished at tlie outer margin with about 19 si- 

 milar but shorter spines. At the inner margin the\' 

 iiavc a short row of four teetli (hg. iSi'), the tirst of 

 whicli prctt\ closeh' resembles the corresponding tooth 

 in the Carj), being terete, or even somewhat compressed 

 at the sides, but ^vith hooked ti]> and obliquely cut 

 crown. The three posterior teeth, on the other hand, 

 ;irc strongh" compressed in a transversal direction (in 

 front and behind), and their crowns are bent close to 

 each other. The phar^^ngeal cartilage has about the 

 same triangular shape as in the Carp. 



The body is covered with large, imbricated, and 

 striated scales, resembling in essential respects those of 

 the Carp, but with the radiating grooves on the co- 

 vered (anterior) part of each scale more distinct and 

 opening in sharj) sinuses at the anterior nuirgin of the 

 scale. As a rule six (4 — 8) grooves appear at this 

 margin. Another groove usually runs straight or ob- 

 licpiely across the scale, and from the middle of this 

 groove (the indistinct luicleus of the scale) two or three 

 similar grooves extend obliquely backwards along the 

 free (posterior) part of the scale, where the concentric 

 stria' show undulating breaks. The hind margin of the 

 scale thus displays numerous and fine, but irregular 

 notches. The lateral line is straight or slightly sloping, 

 and lies somewhat nearer to the ventral edge than to 

 the dorsal. It is covered bv 3.'! (31 — 3.5) scales. It 

 terminates sometimes at the middle of the body, more 

 frequently above the \ent; and is seldom complete all 

 the way to the caudal fin. The perforating ducts of 

 the lateral line are still shorter than in the Carp. In 

 most cases we find 7 rows of scales above the lateral 

 line and t! below it. Sometimes there are <S rows above 

 and 7 below, in which case the top and bottom rows 

 consist of smaller scales. The vent lies somewhat be- 

 hind the beofinnino- of the hindmost third of the bodv. 



Tiic dorsal lin is long, but siiorter than in tiie 

 Carji, tiiougli its length undergoes even relative increase 

 with age, \ai-yiiig between about "_'(> and 32 % of that 

 of I he body. Its height, <in tiic otiier hand, is gencnilly 

 greater than in the Carp, lieiiig apparently subject to 

 greater indi\i(hial variation (al)(ait 14 — 18 % of the 

 length of the body). It begins as far from the tip of 

 the snout as from tiie base of the caudal fin, or a little 

 near<'r tiic latter, exaetlv abo\e the bases of tiie ventral 

 fins, ov a little farther forwai'd. and ends in most cases 

 above the middle or the termination of the anal fin. 

 Its heiglit is almost uniform, or slightly greater in the 

 anterior half; and its margin is arcuate in adult s]M'- 

 cimeiis, straighter in the \<)ung. Tlu; rays vary in 

 number between 2l> and '2-'>. The first four rays ai-e 

 simple, the first of all being an almost imperccjitible 

 spine, most often hidden in the skin, the second some- 

 what longer, the third more than twice as long as the 

 second, and the fourth d<-ntated behind on both sides, 

 soft at tlie tip, and ueai-ly as long as the first branched 

 ray. The last ra\- is cloven to the base, and ma\' 

 easily be counted twice over. 



The anal fin is short but fairly high, with rounded 

 margin. Its length is about 10 or 11 ?<6, its height 

 about 12 oi- 13 % of the length of the body. It con- 

 tains 9 or 10 rays, the first three simple. The fir.st is 

 a rather small spine, the second twice as long as the 

 first, the third thick and hard, with soft and jointed 

 tip, dentated behind on both sides, and somewhat shorter 

 than the first branched r,\\. The last branched ray is 

 cloven to the base. 



The pectoral fins are oblicpielv rounded at the tip. 

 and contain 1 sim])le and (in most cases) 14 branched 

 rays. Their length may rise from 14 to 18 % of that 

 of the body. The ventral fins are both broader and 

 longer, being more obliquely rounded at the tip. Their 

 length varies between Ki and 19 % of that of the bodv. 

 Here, as in the preceding forms, the first ray is short 

 and set very close to the second, which is thick and 

 hard, vvith soft tip, and nearly as long as the first 

 bi-anched rays. IJoth pectoral and ventral fins are 

 generally longer in the males tlian in the fenuiles. 



The caudal fin is broad, when folded somewhat 

 forked, almost truncate when exi)anded. The middle ravs 

 occupv 13 — 18 % of the length of the body, and in adult 

 specimens are ",3 as long as the longest lateral rays. 



The colouring of the Lake Crucian Carp is very 

 variable, and is closeh' eoiuiected ■with the nature of 



