341 



4. Trichogaster Bloch, Schneider. 



(BLOCH, SCHNEIDER, Syst. Ichth. 1801, p. 164). 

 Colisa Cuvier & Valenciennes, Hist. nat. Poissons VII. 1831, p. 359. 



Compressed, oblong. Mouth ^ small, slightly protractile. Cleft 

 of mouth oblique; maxillary reaching to about vertical through 

 anterior nostrils. Lips moderate or thick. Lower jaw prominent. 

 Bands of fixed, generally minute teeth in jaws; vomer and 

 palatines edentulous. Praeorbital serrated. Scales ctenoid, large, 

 regularly arranged; lateral line sometimes absent, or vestigial, 

 formed by pores in the centre of the scale only or by tubes 

 in an interrupted line, the posterior part of which is situated 

 lower down, both parts may be connected by i to 4 pierced 

 scales. Dorsal long, its origin above or in advance of that of 

 anal, its spinous part longer than its soft, pointed or rounded 

 part, with 15 to 19 more or less increasing spines and 6 to 

 14 rays. Anal with 14 to 22 spines and u 20 branched rays, 

 scaly at its base. Caudal rounded, truncate or slightly emar- 

 ginate. Pectorals rounded or pointed. Ventrals inserted in advance 

 of them, consisting of a single elongated filamentous ray and 

 a rudimentary spine. Operculum entire, praeoperculum usually 

 serrated. 



Distribution: Singapore, Borneo, British India, Assam 

 and Burmah. 



In rivers. 



Synopsis of the indo-australian species. 



1. Anal scaly at the base only; lateral line 29 31. . . . Tr. fasciatus p. 341. 



2. Anal densely scaly, the scales covering the fin to the 



tips of the posterior spines, lateral line 27 28 .... Tr. lalius p. 342. 



i. Trichogaster fasciatus Bl. Schn. 



Trichogaster fasciatus Bloch, Schneider, Syst. Ichth. 1801, p. 164. 

 Trichopodus colisa Hamilton Buchanan, Fishes Ganges 1822, p. 117 & 372. 

 Trichopodus bejeus Hamilton Buchanan, ibid. p. 118 & 372. 

 Trichopodus cotra Hamilton Buchanan, ibid. p. 119 & 372. 

 Colisa vulgaris Cuvier & Valenciennes, Hist. Nat. Poiss. VII. 1831, p. 362. 

 Colisa bejeus Cuvier & Valenciennes, ibid. p. 365. 

 Colisa cotra Cuvier & Valenciennes, ibid. p. 366. 

 Poly aeon thus fasciatus Cuvier & Valenciennes, ibid. p. 369. 

 Colisa ponticeriana Cuvier & Valenciennes, ibid. p. 370. 



Colisa vulgaris Bleeker, Verh. Batav. Genootsch. XXV. 1853, Visschen Bengalen 

 en Hindostan, p. 94. 



