590 



PLATAXISTIDJ3. 



triangular, fan-shaped ; eye very minute, rudimentary, without a 

 crystalline lens; blowhole longitudinal, linear. A small caecum. 

 No pelvic bones. 



Teeth rather large, conical, circular in section, and sharp-pointed 

 in the young, gradually becoming worn down and acquiring enlarged 



Fig. 193. Skull of Platanista gangetica, young. (Copied from Sterndale.) 



flattened roots. Sympbysis one half (in males) to two thirds (in 

 old females) the length of the mandible, the teeth on the two sides 

 in the anterior part of the rostrum and mandible being so close 

 together as almost to touch. Proximal portion of maxillae bearing 

 very high, longitudinal, incurved bony crests, which bend over and 

 almost meet abo\ 7 e. Zygomatic process of squamosal very broad. 

 Vertebra : C. 7, D. 10-11, L. 8-7, C. 26=51. 



A full account of the anatomy, distribution, and habits of the 

 only member of this genus has been given by Anderson. 



397. Platanista gangetica. The Gangetic Dolphin. 



Delphinus gangeticus, Lebeck, Neue Schr. Ges. nat. Freunde Berl. 

 iii, p. 280 (1801) ; Roxburgh, As. Res. vii, p. 170, pi. v (1801). 



Platauista gangetica, Gray $ Hardiv. III. 2nd. Zool. ii, pi. xxiv ; 

 Eschricht (translated by Wallich), A. M. N. U. (2) ix, pp. 161, 279, 

 pis. v-vii ; Blyth, Cat. p. 92 ; Jerdon, Mam. p. 159 ; Anderson, 

 An. Zool. Res. p. 417, pis. xxv, &c. ; W. Sclater, Cat. p. 315. 



Platanista indi, Blyth, J. A. S. B. xxviii, p. 493 ; id. Cat. p. 92 ; 

 Jerdon, Mam. p. 159. 



Sus, Siisu, H. ; Susuk, Sislmk, Beng. ; Sisumar, Sans. ; Bhukm, Si'msar, 

 Sind. ; Hiho, Seho, Assam ; Huh, Sylhet. 



30 Rostrum much shorter in males than in females. Teeth about 

 30 on each side, generally rather more below than above. 

 Colour blackish throughout. 



