2o6 Records of the Indian Museum. [Vol. XXII, 



Tvpe-speci)Hcn.—'F 9989/1. Zoological Survey oj India (Ind. 

 Mus.). 



A single specimen of this species was obtained in Dhanashori 

 stream, about a mile from Dimapur, Assam. 



Measurements in millimetres. 



Mastacembelus manipurensis, sp. nov. 



Plate IX, fig. 3. 



The proportions show considerable variation with the age of 

 the fish. In a specimen about 23 cm. long, the depth of the body 

 is contained 9 times in the total length and the length of the heavl 

 about 6 times. In an older specimen 44 cm. in length, the depth 

 of the body is contained 13 times and the length of the head 7 

 times in the total length. The diameter of the eye is contained 

 7 — ii-| times in the length of the head. The vent is situated 

 much nearer to the base of the caudal fin than to the end of the 

 snout ; its position can thus be located in the older specimen : — 



Distance of verit from end of snout . . 22*7 cm. 



,, „ ,, base of caudal fin . . ig'T) ,, 



„ ,, ,, end of caudal fin .. 2i'o ,, 



The preorbital spines are absent, but there are three well- 

 marked preopercular spines which increase in length from below 

 upwards. The fleshy appendage to the snout is short and is 7 

 mm. in length in the older specimen. Fins. — The caudal fin is 

 completely united with the dorsal and the anal fins. The spiny 

 portion of the dorsal consists of ^y spines and commences above 

 the middle of the pectoral. The rayed portion of the dorsal is 

 leathery and low, so it is rather difficult to count the number of 

 rays with exactness. There are, however, 66 — 72 soft rays. The 

 anal fin has three spines close together, the middle one is the long- 

 est and the stoutest. The anal spines can only be made out after 

 a careful dissection. There are about 50 rays in the anal fin. 



In the older specimen, the dorsal surface of the head and 

 body and the whole of the tail portion is black, with about 23 

 short black bands across the dorsal surface. The colour of the 

 body below the lateral line and on the under surface of the head is 

 pale olivaceous, gradually fading into yellow on the ventral sur- 

 face. There are four irregular dark longitudinal bands on either 

 side of the body, commencing from near the head and becoming 

 indistinguishable in the region behind the vent. There is a charac- 

 teristic dark band along the midventral line extending from the 



