204 On new Freshwater Fishes from Sierra Leone. 



ParatiJapia thomasi. 



Deptli of body 2 to 2^ times in total lengtli, length of head 

 2| to 3j times. Head twice as lon^^ as broad ; snout with 

 convex upper profile, broader than long-, | to § postocular 

 part of head ; eye 3^ to 3^ times in lengtli of head, 1 to 1^ 

 times in inrerorbital width, greater than prseorbital dei:)th ; 

 mouth rather small, extending to between nostril and eye ; 

 prgemaxillary processes short; teeth small, in 3 or 4 series ; 

 3 or 4 series of scales on the cheek, width of scaly part a 

 little less than diameter of eye. Gill-rakers short, 7 or 8 on 

 lower part of anterior arch. Dorsal XIV 9-10 ; spines in- 

 creasing; in length to the last, which measures | to ^ length 

 of head ; longest soft ray nearly as long as head. Anal 

 III 7-8 ; third spine a little shorter than last dorsal. Pec- 

 toral a little shorter than head, nob extending to vertical of 

 origin of anal. Ventral much produced, extending beyond 

 origin of anal. Caudal rounded. Caudal peduncle deeper 

 than long. Scales very feebly denticulate, 25-27 fo ; lateral 

 lines -g:|^Q. Yellowish, with six black cross-bands, the third 

 of which may expand into a rhombic spot ; a black bar from 

 the eye to the mouth ; a black opercular spot, with or without 

 small pearl-white spots; dorsal and ajial tins grey, the former 

 edg;ed with white ; outer rays of ventral black. 



Total length 65 mm. 



Three specimeris. 



Appears most nearl}-^ related to P. dorsalt's. Pellegr. As 

 in P. codringtoni, Blgr., the maxillary bone is concealed when 

 the mouth is closed, the fish having the appearance of a 

 Tilapia. 



The ex])loration of the freshwater fauna of Sierra Leone 

 has not received much attention. The number of species of 

 fishes with which I am acquainted amounts only to eighteen : — 

 Pohjpterns palmas, Ayres, Protopterus annectens, Ow., Mar- 

 cuseni'us hrachistius, Gill, Kotvpterus ofer, Gthr., Alestes 

 oiKjipivnis, Gthr., Barhiis leonettsis, Blgr., Clarias Hberiensis, 

 Stcii., £ iinduhis sjoesiedd, Lonnb., Ilaplochilus fasciolatiis, 

 Gtnr., //. chaperi, Sauv., //. rnocrurus, Blgr., //. annidatus^ 

 Blgr., Parutilopia thomasi, Blgr., IJemicIiromis fasciafus, 

 Peters, //. biniacidatus, Gill, Fleofris lehretoni, Stdr., F. leo- 

 nensi's, Blgr., and Mastacembelus reiiculatus, Blgr. 



