Freshxcater Fishes from Porturjuese Guinea. 57 



This Si/7w<h7itis was already represented in tlie collection 

 of the British Museum hy a specimen from Nianimani, 

 Gambia, presented by the late Mr. J. S. Bu<lgetf, to which I 

 have sjiecially alludeil in my ' Fishes of the Nile/ p. 379, 

 and which I then felt inclined to regard as a distinct species. 

 Now, with several species before me, obtained by Dr. An- 

 sorge in the Culufi and Geba Rivers, I feel compelled to 

 bestow a name on the long-snouted specimens, notwith- 

 standing the fact tiiat somewhat similar examples, as regards 

 the projiortions of the head, occur in the Nile, according to 

 Vailhmt (N. Arch. Mus. viii. 1896, p. 105). 



The largest specimen measures 270 mm. 



Tilapia hrevimanus. 



Depth of body 2^ to 2| times in total length, length of 

 head 3 timos. Head twice as long as broad, upp^M- profile 

 convex ; snout as long as broad, slightly longer than eye, 

 wiiich is 3^ times in lengtii of head, equals interorbitnl 

 width, and sligiitly exceeds depth of prseorbital ; mouth ex- 

 tending to between nostril and eye ; outer teeth moderately 

 large, bifid, 50 to 60 in upper jaw, followed by 4 or 5 

 regular and well-separated series of smaller tricuspid teeth ; 

 3 series of scales on the cheek, the vertical diameter of the 

 scaly part below the eye 3 to f diameter of latter. Gill- 

 raliers short, 13 on lower part of anterior arch. Dorsal 

 XVI 12 ; spines increasing in length to the last, which 

 measures about | length of head; soft portion pointed, pro- 

 duced into a long filament in the male. Anal III 8 ; third 

 spine longest, as long as last dorsal, soft portion produced 

 like the dorsal. Pectoral a little shorter than head, not 

 reaching vertical of origin of anal. Ventral produced into a 

 long filament, reaching vent or anal. Caudal truncate. 

 Caudal peduncle nearly as long as deep. Scales not denti- 

 culate, 31-32 ~^; lat. lines ■:~^. Yellowish olive above, 

 whitish beneath ; 8 or 9 dark brown cross-bands on the head 

 and back, not descending to the belly, the first between the 

 eyes ; fins olive, dorsal and anal with yellowish spots at the 

 base ; a dark basal spot at the origin of the soft dorsal. 



Total length 130 mm. 



Several specimens from the Geba River. 



Distinguished from T. melanopleura, A. Dum., b^ the 

 more elongate form, the shorter pectoral fin, and the larger 

 eye. 



