oO Records of fJie Indion Miiseirvt. [Vol. XIV, 



Microrasbora, gen. no v. 



To this genus I assign two small fish found in the Inle and He-Ho 

 basins, and possibly also at least two others described from the Malay 

 Peninsula. 



The genus Microrasbora is closely alhed to Rasbora, Bleeker and 

 Bmchydanio, Weber, but is distinguished from the former by the total 

 absence of the lateral Une and by the longer anal fin and from the 

 latter by the fact that there is no prominence on the jaw. The mouth 

 is small and almost semicircular and opens obliquely upwards. The 

 species assigned to the genus are very small, strongly compressed, 

 rather deeper in the body than most species of Rasbora and as a rule 

 of brilhant or at any rate conspicuous colouration. The general facies is 

 like that of Danio, but there are no barbels. 



The species I assign to Microrasbora are Microrasbora rubescens, sp. 

 nov. (type-species), Microrasbora erythromicron, sp. nov., and possibly 

 Rasbora heteromorpha and R. ^naculata, Duncker.^ The tv/o former are 

 from the Inle Lake and the latter from the Malay Peninsula. I have 

 not seen the Malay species, which may be generic ally distinct. 



Microrasbora rubescens, sp. nov. 

 (Plate II, fig. 3 ; pi. IV, fig. 13.) 



B. 111. D.8-9 (2/0-7). P. 11. V. 7. A. 1.3-15 (3/10-12). C. 20 L1.29-32-L.t. 7. 



The greatest depth of the body is from 4- to | the total length, being 

 considerably greater in adult than in sub-adult individuals ; the length 

 of the head is also I the total length and the dej^th of the caudal peduncle 

 a little more than I in adults. The eye is longer than the snout and its 

 diameter is greater than that of the interorbital space. The scales are 

 large, thin, transparent and difficult to see ; they are easily removed 

 from the hving fish ; each scale bears several radiating striae and the 

 concentric growth lines are well marked. The caudal and anal fins 

 have a distinct sheath of scales at their base. The anterior border of the 

 dorsal fin is slightly in advance of that of the anal and immediately 

 above the vent ; it is much nearer the base of the caudal fin than the 

 tip of the snout. The pectoral extends back further than the base of the 

 ventral, which does not quite reach the vent and does not overlap the 

 anal when pressed back. The anal is rather long, but its posterior 

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

 strongly forked. All the fin rays are segmented and none are bony. 



The pharyngeal bones have a well marked external prominence. 

 The teeth number about 15 and are arranged triserially. Their form 

 and arrangement is shown in pi. IV, fig. 13. 



The colouration of preserved specimens is much like that of similar 

 specimens of Sawbwa resplendens. In life the sides and ventral surface 

 of the head, the caudal, anal and sometimes the dorsal fin are orange- 

 scarlet in adults of both sexes. The whole body of the breeding male 

 is sufiused with the same colour. A dark mid-lateral streak extending 

 forwards from the base of the tail to the level of the anterior border 



1 Milt Naturh. Mus. Hamburg XXI, p. 182, pi. i, figs. 4, 5 (1203). 



