325 



point of the snout runs between the posterior and anterior 

 nostril. A thin skin covers the headshields, which have reticu- 

 late rugae. Occipital process keeled, its sideborders slightly 

 converging, its length about i'/ 2 the breadth of its base, 

 posteriorly rounded and touching the narrow crescentic basal 

 bone of the dorsal spine. The long, narrow, elliptic median 

 fontanel reaches to the occipital process. Humeral process 

 triangular, pointed, with a longitudinal crest. Eyes 5'/ 2 , lateral, 

 with conspicuous free orbital margin, situated in the anterior 

 half of the head, about 2 times in snout and about 2*/ 2 times 

 in the convex interorbital space. Maxillary barbels reach half 

 way on the pectorals or somewhat farther, mandibulary barbels 

 half as long, the mental ones still shorter, reaching to the 

 gillmembrane. Dorsal originating nearer to the pectorals than 

 to the ventrals, equal to length of head from posterior nostril; 

 dorsal spine flattened, both its borders weakly serrated, some- 

 what longer than head without snout. Base of adipose fin 

 shorter than that of dorsal, thrice in its distance from last- 

 named (less in young specimens). Height of anal somewhat 

 more than postorbital part of head, its inferior border concave. 

 Ventrals equal to postorbital part of head, they don't reach the 

 anal. Pectorals equal to head without snout, their spine some- 

 what shorter, equal to dorsal spine or slightly shorter, flattened, 

 frontborder weakly, serrated hindborder strongly so. Caudal 

 deeply forked, the pointed lobes 3 times longer than the median 

 rays. Least height of caudal peduncle at least two times in its 

 length. No axillary pore. Villiform teeth in upperjaw in a curved 

 band, 8 times broader than long. The two slightly separated 

 bands in the lower jaw are somewhat narrower. Eight stiff 

 flattened gillrakers considerably shorter than branchial filaments. 

 Colour dorsally grey brown, sides silvery, lower surface of 

 head and belly white. Fins, especially their distal part, darkish. 

 Length 175 mm. 



Habitat: South New Guinea (Lorentz-river !). 



3. Hemipimelodus velutinus M. Web. [Fig. 141, p. 323]. 



Hemipimelodtis velutinus Max Weber, Nova Guinea V. Zool. livr. 2, 1908, 

 p. 225. Ibid. IX, livr. 4, 1913, p. 549. 



B. 6; D. I. 7; A. 15; P. I. 10; V. 6. 



Elongate; height 5 ! / 2 , head 3 ! / 4 , broader than high, its 



