120 



MASTACEMBELID.E. 



its distance from head about 3|- times length of latter. Snout 3 times 

 as long as eye, ending in an appendage which is nearly twice as 

 long as eye ; mouth extending to below antenor border of eye ; a small 

 prseorbital spine ; two pricopercular spines. Dorsal XXVl-XXX 80 ; 

 distance between first spine and head about | length of latter. Anal II 

 80. Caudal rounded. Pectoral about ^ length of head. Scales very 

 small, 20 between origin of soft dorsal and lateral line. Purplish grey 

 above, yellowish beneath, sides with a dark network the meshes of 

 wliich widen towards the caudal; dorsal and anal fins dark purplish 

 ■with a light edge, with whitish spots towards the caudal. 



Total length 290 millim. 



Liberia. — Type in Leyden Museum *. 



Fi^. 73. 



Mastacembelus loennherr/ii. 

 Type. 



8. MASTACEMBELUS LOENNBERGII. 



Mastaceiiihrliis cri//>tacant/ii(.i (non (liiiitli.). T-iinnlj. Ofvers. Vet.-Akiul. Filili. 



Stockliolm, 1S'.K5, no. ii, ]>. 181. 

 ifastaceml/eltis loennhergu, Bonleng. Tr. Zool. Soc. xv. 1808, p. i?>, and Proc. Zuol. 



Soc. 1902, ii. p. 329, pi. xxix. fig. 3 ; Pellegr. Poiss. Bass. Tcluul, p. 138, fig. 



(1914). 



Depth of body 13 to 17 times in total length, length of head 7 to 9 

 times. Vent nearly equally distant from end of snout and from caudal, 

 its distance from head 2| to 3^ times length of latter. Snout 3 times 

 as long as eye, ending in an ap])endiige wliich is about 1| times as 

 long as eye ; mouth extending to below posterior nostril ; an erectile 

 spine below posterior nostril ; 2 or 3 strong opercular spines. Dorsal 

 XXVIII-XXXIl 100-130 ; spines short, last scarcely longer thnn 

 eye ; distance between first spine and head \ to f length of latter. 

 Anal II 100-130. Caudal obtusely pointed. Pectoral about \ length 

 of head. Scales very small, 15 to 18 between origin of soft dorsal and 

 lateral line; latter formed of a few tubules, widely separated from one 

 aiiotlier. Uniform brownish with an ill-detiued darker lateral l)and, or 

 spotted witli darker and lighter, the lower parts of tlie sides sonietiims 



* I am indebted to the kindness uf .Mile. Dr. (_'. L. IVipta for iiutes on tliis specimen. 



