Classification of the Order Ostariophysi. 561 



tion of the anal fin. The many-rayed pelvic fins, the con- 

 tiguous or confluent anal and caudal, combined with the 

 absence of a dorsal spine, of an adipose iin, and of nasal 

 barbels, characterize the Siluridse externally, whilst the 

 osteology is quite different from that of the Schilbeidse, with 

 their rod-like palatine, frontals with free edges, and lateral 

 ethmoids not projecting outwards. 



Family 6. Bagridae. 



Body naked, moderately elongate ; gill-membranes separate 

 or notched, free or at least forming a free fold across isthmus. 

 Dorsal fin anterior, with a spine ; adipose fia present ; anal 

 short or of moderate length ; pelvic fins usually 6-rayed 

 (7- or 8-rayed in Rita). Anterior and posterior nostrils wide 

 apart, the latter usually with a barbel ; maxillary and usually 

 one or two pairs of mandibulary barbels. Jaws toothed ; 

 palate often toothed. Lateral ethmoid facet for articulation 

 of palatine rarely strictly lateral, usually visible when the 

 skull is seen from below ; palatine rod-like ; pterygoid present, 

 attached to lower surface of hinder part of palatine (fig. 1, B) ; 

 mesopterygoid small, anterior to the well-developed meta- 

 pterygoicl ; hyomandibular with a broad head, fitting into a 

 groove formed by the pterotic and sphenotic. Post-temporal 

 present; supra-cleithrum rigidly attached to skull, with the 

 lower limb well developed ; mesocoracoid preseut ; hypo- 

 coracoids meeting and interlocking behind the symphysis 

 of the cleithra. Vertebrae 34 to 55 (10-23 4-20-34); ribs 

 attached to long parapophyses ; anterior ramus of para- 

 pophysis of fourth vertebra firmly attached to supra- 

 cleithrum ; air-bladder large, free, normally formed. 



Fresh- water fishes of Asia and Africa. 



The principal genera may be arranged thus : — 



1. Pterygoid and mesopterygoid laminar, rather loosely connected ; 

 parapophydis of fourth vertebra intervening between supra- 

 cleithrum and anterior vfall of air-bladder ; lower limb of supra- 

 cleithruoi normal. {Chrysichthyince.) 



A. Parapophysis of fourth vertebra with a stout anterior ramus 

 attached to the supra-cleithrum and connected at the base with 

 the posterior ramus, which resembles a normal parapophysis. 

 No nasal barbel ; anterior nostril labial, poste- 

 rior slit-like ; sixth vertebra free ........ Parauchenoglanis, Au- 



chenoglanisy Notoghmidium. 

 A nasal barbel ; sixth vertebra rigidly united 



with fifth Rita, Pseudobagrus, Ge- 



phyroglunis *. 



* Leptoglanis, without nasal barbel, may be related to Gephyroglanis . 



