Till-'. FRESH -WATKH FIS1IKS <>F 



Aspius rapax (AGASSI/). 



This fish is found only in the eastern part of Europe ; it is known in South 

 Russia as Belezna, in Germany as the Sc/ded, in Bohemia as the liolcn, in 

 Austria as the Rapfen, while in Sweden it is the Asp. It is characterised by 

 the pointed snout, long head, small eyes, and small scales (Fig. 128). 



The body is deepest over the ventral fin, and broadest at the operculum, 

 where the width is one-half the height. The eye is nearly twice its diameter 

 from the extremity of the snout, and is one-sixth or one-seventh of the length 

 of the head. The nares are near to the eye. The angle of the mouth reaches 



Fig. 128. ASPIVS UAPAX. (AGASSI7.). 



under the anterior part of the orbit. The extremity of the lower jaw is 

 thickened in the middle, and this knob is received in a corresponding excava- 

 tion in the upper jaw. 



The contour of the back is a flattened bow. 



The dorsal fin commences behind the middle of the body; it is much 

 higher than long; its base is shorter than the head. The fin is truncate 

 behind ; its longest ray is two and a half times the length of the shortest 

 ray. The anal fin is as high as long, and the proportions of its rays are 

 like those of the dorsal. Its terminal edg-e is somewhat concave. The ventral 



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fins are in front of the dorsal, and extend back to the vent, though they are 

 not long. The pectorals are longer, but they do not reach back to the 

 ventral s. The caudal fin is deeply forked, has equal lobes, with the terminal 

 rays as long as the head. 



The scales are soft and very delicate, with scarcely visible concentric ribs. 



