206 



Distribution: Indo-australian Archipelago (Sumatra and 

 Borneo); Siam. 



i. Balantiocheilus melanopterus (Blkr.). 



Bar bus melanopterus Bleeker, Nat. Tijdschr. Ned. Indie' I. 1850, p. n. 

 Systomus melanopterus Bleeker, Nat. Tijdschr. Ned. Indie II. 1851, p. 420. 

 Balantiocheilos melanoptems Bleeker, Ichth. Arch. Ind. Prodr. II. Cyprini, 1860, 



p> 301. Atl. Ichth. III. 1863, p. 80. 

 Barbus melanoptertis Giinther, Cat. Brit. Mus. VII. 1868, p. 150. 



D. 4.89 ; A. 3.5 ; P. I.I5 ; V. 2.8 9 ; L. 1. 3435 ; L. tr. i 



51 



Elongate. Profile of back ascending, slightly arched, that of 

 the head descending in a straight line. Height nearly 3, 3.7 3.8 

 in length with caudal. Head 3.7 3.8, 4.7 5.1 in length with 

 caudal. Eye 3 ! / 2 4, less than snout and about i ! / 2 i* 1 convex 

 interorbital space. Mouth protractile, slightly inferior, snout 

 prominent. Upper lip swollen and crenulated, its anterior part 

 partly covered by an overhanging square fold of the snout, 

 followed on each side by a lower fold. Lower lip formed by 

 a broad smooth fold of the skin, forming a pouch opening 

 hindwards. No barbels. Origin of the dorsal slightly before the 

 middle of a line connecting end of snout and base of caudal, 

 above the 10^ scale of the lateral line and i scale behind the 

 origin of the ventrals, 12 13 scales before dorsal. Dorsal con- 

 cave, its fourth spine slightly longer than head, strongly denti- 

 culated behind. Anal concave, its third spine somewhat thickened, 

 longer than half head. Ventrals longer than pectorals, far distant 

 from anus, separated by 3*/ 2 scales from the 9^ scale of lateral 

 line. Pectorals small, 3 / 4 length of head, not reaching ventrals. 

 Caudal deeply forked, about J / 5 longer than head. Least height 

 of caudal peduncle more than its length, about twice in length 

 of head, 16 scales round caudal peduncle, 7 of which above 

 the lateral lines. Silvery, upper parts darker. Distal part of 

 vertical and ventral fins deep black. Length 350 mm. 



Nomen in dig. : Pontong kanjot, Aru pendijem, Batang 

 buro (Palembang); Ridi, Teridi angus (Djambi); Gatata 

 (Mahakam). 



Habitat: Sumatra (Palembang!, Djambi!, river Kwantan); 

 Borneo (river Kapuas: Pontianak, Sintang; Lake Danau Sriang; 

 river Barito: Banjermassin, river Kahajan; middle course of 

 Mahakam river; Pengaron). Siam. 



