414 TKLEOSTEI. PIIYSOSTOMI. 



Family X. CYPRINODONTID^l. 



Pseudobranchia) absent. Eyes lateral. Margin of the upper 

 ja\v formed solely by the premaxillaries. Barbels absent. Teeth 

 in both jaws, also in the superior and inferior pharyngeal bones. 

 A single spineless dorsal fin situated in the posterior half of the 

 body. Scales on head and body. Stomach without any blind sac. 

 No pyloric appendages. Air-bladder simple, and destitute of a 

 pneumatic duct. 



This family has been subdivided into: Gyprinodontidie carni- 

 vore, having united mandibles and short intestines ; and C. limno- 

 phagae, having separated mandibles and long intestines. 



Synopsis of Indian Genera. 



Dorsal tin nearer head than anal 1. CYPHINODON. 



Dorsal fin further from head than the elongate anal . . 2. HAPLOCHILUS. 



1. Genus C yPRINODON, Lacepede. 

 Syn. Lebias, Cuvier ; Aphanius, Nardo ; Micromtiyil, Gulia. 



Gape of mouth small ; mandibles short and united at the sym- 

 physis. Teeth of moderate size, in a single compressed row, and 

 notched at their summits. Origin of dorsal fin anterior to that of 

 the anal, and largest in the male sex. Scales rather large. The 

 colour of the sexes often different. Intestines of moderate length 

 or rather short. 



Geographical Distribution. Southern Europe, North Africa, 

 Syria, Persia, along the shores of the Eed Sea and Arabian Gulf to 

 Cutch. 



527. (1.) Cyprinodon dispar. (Fig. 134.) 



Lebias dispar, Rilppell, Atl. Fische, p. 66, 1. 18, fig. 1 (male), 2 (female). 

 Cyprinodon dispar, Day, Fish. India, p. 521, pi. cxxi, fig. 1 (male), 



"2 (female) (see synon.). 

 B.iii. D. 9. P. 17. V. 7. A. 10. C. 15. L. 1. 25-27. L. tr. 8. 



Length of head 3| to 4, height of body 3f to 4 in the total 

 length. Eyes diameter 3| in the length of the head, nearly 

 1 cliam. from end of snout, and 1| apart. The maxilla does not 

 reach to below the front edge of the eye. Fins ventrals elon- 

 gate in the males but not in the females. Caudal lunate. 

 Colour Male : greenish yellow reticulated darker, a small dark 

 shoulder-spot. Dorsal fin spotted, anal more sparingly so. Caudal 

 yellowish, with a wide crescentic black band, having a white edge 



