CYPUINIDJS. CYPRIXIN 1. 293 



338. (1.) Matsya argentea. (Fig. 102.) 



Acanthonotus argenteus, Tickcll, MSS. ; Dai/, Fish. India, SUJIJM- 

 ment, p. 807. 



D. 9 (1/8). P. 14. V. 8. A. 7. C. 18. L. 1. 30. 



Length of head as delineated 6, height of body 3J in the total 

 length. Eyes diameter 3^ in the length of the head, 1 diameter 

 from the end of the snout. Snout blunt, rather overhanging the 

 mouth, body compressed ; profile with a considerable rise from snout 

 to base of dorsal fin. F'uis dorsal spine strong and posteriorly 

 serrated, caudal deeply forked, its lobes acutely pointed. A small 

 hori/.ontal spine in front of the dorsal fin pointing forwards and 

 scarcely prof ruding from beneath the skin. Lateral line complete. 

 Colour brilliant silvery,- with lilac and blue shades and a tinge of 

 olive-yellow on the back. Dorsal fin orange-scarlet, superiorly 

 bordered with black except on the last tsvo rays, the other fins 

 lemon-yellow. Dorsal ridge black in its upper portion. 



Hub. Very common in the streams of the interior of the 

 Tenasserim district, the largest obtained being about 5 - 4 inches in 

 length. 



19. Genus BABBITS, Cuvier & Valenciennes. 



Syn. Puntius, pt., Ham. Buch. ; Labeobarbu*, Varicorhinus, pt., Riipp. ; 

 Systomus, pt., McClell. ; Cajweta, sp., Cuv. & Val. ; Pseudubarbus, Bielz. ; 

 Lttciobarbusi Heckel ; Clicilubarbus, sp., Smith ; Balantiocheilus, Heini- 

 barbus, CycIuchcilicJithys, Siaja, Anematichfhys, Hypselobnrbm, Gono/irok- 

 topterus, Gnuthopoyon, Ifampala, sp., Bleeker ; Enteromhis, sp., Cope. 



Mouth arched, and anterior or inferior ; jaws closely invested 

 by the lips, which may have leathery lobes, but no horny covering *. 

 Barbels four (Barbodes, Bleeker); or two (Capoeta, Cuv. & Val.); 

 or none (Puntius, H. Buch.). Eyes without adipose lids. Pharyn- 

 geal teeth 5 or 4, 3 or 4, 2 or 3/3 or 2, 3 or 4, 4 or 5. Dorsal'fin 

 rather short, commencing nearly opposite the root of the ventral; 

 its last undivided ray either ossified and serrated or entire, or 

 articulated and not osseous ; anal rather short, in some species its 

 second ray ossified, or its last undivided ray may even be serrated 

 (B. prodozyson, Bleeker). Scales large, of moderate or small size ; 

 anal scales not enlarged. Lateral line complete or incomplete t, 

 when complete it is continued to opposite the centre of the base 

 of the caudal fin. 



Barbus mahecola, C. V., which has two barbels, is very similar to 



* Barbus lithopidos is an exception. 



t The number of rows of scales between the lateral line and insertion of the 

 ventral fin, in species in which the former is incomplete, is counted from the 

 row of scales on which the lateral line would have existed had it been 

 complete. 



