1918.] 



N. Annandale : Fi.^Ji of the InU Lahe. 



49 



anal is nearer the vent than the base of the caudal. The caudal is 

 strongh' forked, its two points being subangular. The second (or third) 

 spine of the dorsal is stout and bears in its middle region from six to 

 twelve strong spinelets some of which are usually double ; its upper 

 part, which is smooth, is curved backwards ; the whole spine is shorter 

 than the head. The last branched dorsal ring is divided almost to its 

 base. 



The pharyngeal teeth (4 in number) are elongate and narrow, strongly 

 concave on the upper surface ; their tips are subtruncate but concave and 

 with A minute terminal projection at either end. 



Fig. 1. — Saivbxm resplendens, sp. nov. a. Head. 6. Dorsal fin. 



Preserved specimens are whitish, more or less definitely suffused with 

 green pigment on the back and blackish on the dorsal surface of the 

 head. The sides of male examples are sometimes covered with black 

 chromatophores. The fins are as a rule colourless, except for rows of 

 minute dots running parallel to the rays ; in adult males the tips of the 

 dorsal and anal are sometimes blackened. The belly and the sides of 

 the head are silvery. In life the female has much the same colouration 

 as that of preserved specimens, but the silvery appearance of the body 

 is more intense and more universal. The breeding male is much more 

 brilliant, the sides and lower surface of the head, the chest, caudal and 

 anal fins being bright scarlet and the sides of the body bright metallic 

 steely blue. 



The length of the adult fish does not exceed 25 mm. 



Ova were observed issuing from the vent of a female. They are 

 spherical and enclosed in a delicate, smooth membrane ; each is pro- 

 vided with an extremely fine filament of considerable length. The 

 diameter of the egg does not exceed 0-75 mm. 



Type-specimen.— ^o. F 941.3/1. Zoological Survey of India {Ind. 

 Miis^). 



This little fish is extremelv common all over the Inle Lake and in 



the 



swamps 



that 



surround 



i it. It lives in large shoals among dense 



vegetation both in the clear waters of the central region of the lake and 

 in the peaty and often foul water near the edge. Fully coloured 

 males were observed only in the latter situation. Ripe females were 

 taken in February and March. 



In spite of its small size, the species is of economic importance to the 

 Intha as it forms an ingredient in the dried whitebait that is one of the 

 chief products of the lake. 



