2§6 



Subfam. Melanotaeniinae. 



Much compressed, oblong. Height increasing with age and 

 dorsal and ventral profile getting more convex, especially the 

 ventral profile; the dorsal profile generally sloping down in 

 an almost straight line to snout. Head more or less pointed, 

 its crown flattened ; the jaws being equal or the upper one 

 the longer, the lower one included ; the upper one may 

 also fit into a sinuation of the lower jaw. Mouthopening 

 moderate or small, reaching frontborder of eye or not so far. 

 Lips thickened or not. Intermaxillaries bordering the mouth- 

 opening, gently curved or with an abrupt bent between their 

 horizontal and lateral part. Maxillaries rodlike, thin, slightly 

 visible or not when mouth is closed. Teeth conical, pointed, 

 in one or more rows in jaws, often extending on outside of 



Fig. 77. Melanotacnia patoti M. Web. n. s. 



lips; on vomer, palatines and tongue present or absent. First 

 dorsal composed by exception of 4 to 5 strong spines, usu- 

 ally of I spine and 3 — 6 more or less flexible, undivided rays; 

 its origin above or behind anus. Second dorsal with one spine 

 and 8 — 17 soft rays, the posterior ones may be prolonged. 

 Anal with one spine and 17 — 30 soft rays, the most posterior 

 of which may also be prolonged ; its origin before, below or 

 behind that of the first dorsal. Ventrals with i spine and 5 

 rays, their origin below or behind that, of pectorals. Scales 

 regularly or irregularly arranged ; 30 — 60 in a row between 

 head and caudal ; smooth or with faint or deep crenulations 

 along their hindmargin. Lateral line absent or indicated by 

 a shallow pit on some of the scales. 5 or 6 branchiostegals. 



