Order MICROCYPRINI Tate Regan. 



Airbladder without an open duct. Scales present, cycloid. 

 No lateral line. Parietals, when present, separated by the supra- 

 occipital, which is in contact with the frontals. Orbitosphenoid 

 wanting. Mesocoracoid wanting. Opercular bones normally deve- 

 loped. Lower jaw with or without a sesamoid articular. Fins 

 without spines. Pectorals inserted high up or lower down. 

 Pectoral arch suspended from the skull. Ventrals abdominal, 

 6 or /-rayed, not attached to cleithra, sometimes wanting. 

 Dorsal fin placed far back, above anal. Anus posterior or 

 anterior. Anterior vertebrae not modified. Mouth generally 

 small, bordered by intermaxillaries only. Lower pharyngeals 

 separate, or, if united, with the median suture persistent. 

 Branchiostegals 4 — 7. 



Key to the indo-australian families of 

 M i c r o c y p r i n i. 



1. Ventrals present '). Anus posterior, near anal. 



a. Snout short, mouth small or moderate, intermaxil- 

 laries not coalesced with maxillaries. Second, third 

 and fourth upper pharyngeals dentigerous. Scales 

 rather large. L.l. in indo-australian species 29 — 34. Cyprinodontidac p. 371. 



h. Snout longer, mouth large, semicircular or horse- 

 shoe-shaped. Intermaxillaries firmly united to maxil- 

 laries or coalesced with them. Third and fourth 

 upper pharyngeals dentigerous. Scales small. 

 L.l. 70—80 Ad7-ianichtliyidac p. 376. 



2. Ventrals wanting. Anus anterior, in females between 

 pectorals, opening into a fleshy appendage below 



head in males Phallostethidae p. 381. 



l) In indo-australian species. 



