18 E. LÖNNBERG, THE ICHTHYOLOGY OF TIIE 



Prseabdominal length in % of tot. length 

 Postabdominal » » » » » » 

 Length of pectoral fins » » » » » 

 I s base of dorsal fins > » ^i » * 

 Lateral line 



CASPIAN SEA. 



23,2 

 20,9 

 16,4 

 13,1 

 65 



20,7 

 18,9 

 16,4 

 13,6 

 63 



22,1 

 20,7 

 16,6 

 13,3 



The number of fin-rays and scales agrees with Kessler's^ 

 statements about tbe Casj)ian form of tliis large Älhurnus. 

 The relative dimensions which can be seen from the above 

 table agree pretty well with the corresponding ones of the 

 common Älhurnus älhurnus Lin. The distance from the snont 

 to the dorsal fin is, however, a little larger in the latter 

 measuring (according to Smitt) 50 — 52,5 \ of the total length, 

 but, on the other hand, is the distance from the snout to the 

 anal fin slightly shorter as the pereentage expressing the 

 relation to the total length of this dimension is only 57,4 — 

 59,3 (also according to Smitt). The situation of the ventral 

 fins of the small Scandinavian Älhurnus compared with that 

 of the dorsal fin of the same is also a little diff'erent from 

 that of the Caspian »schahmaja», or »shemaja». This can be 

 seen from the following numbers. The distance from snout 

 to ventral fins is, in the former 79 — 82,2 % of the distance 

 from the snout to the dorsal fin (according to Smitt 1. c), 

 but the same pereentage in the latter is 85 — 92. This dif- 

 ference may be due partly to the more advanced situation 

 of the dorsal fin in A. chalcoides. As the dorsal fin in A. 

 älhurnus as well as in other related fishes becomes with age 

 more posteriorly situated, but the ventrals become more ad- 

 vanced, it seems as if A. chalcoides although much larger 

 should represent a more juvenile or primitive stage. 



This fish is chiefly caught in the rivers of the Caspian 

 Westcoast from Terek and southwards. In Kura it is prin- 

 cipally caught with silknets in December and January, but 

 the fishermen could not tell when the spawning season is. 

 It is regarded as one of the most delicious fishes of this region. 



In Petrovsk I saw a specimen with the mouth deformed. 

 This was called »urot» and regarded as a hybrid between »sche- 

 maja» and »kotum» (Leuciscus frisii). This was, however, not 

 the case. It was only a teratological specimen of the former. 



* Kessler: Phöu — 

 oö.iacTH, Petersburg 1877. 



Bt Apajo-KacniHCKO-IIoHTiricKO iixio.iorinecKOii 



