3G6 



CICHLID-^. 



Head twice as long as broad ; snout with curved upper profile, rounded, 

 broader than long, as long as postocular part of head, shorter than eye, 

 which is 2| to 2| times in length of head, equals interorbital width and 

 3 times prajorbital depth ; mouth extending to below anterior fourth of 

 eye; teeth very small, in 2 or 3 series, 70 to 90 in outer series of upper 

 jaw ; 2 or 3 series of scales on the cheek, width of scaly part not t> 

 diameter of eye. Gill-rakers rather long, 17 to 10 on lower part of 

 anterior area. Dorsal XII-XIII 12-14 ; spines subequal from the 

 eighth or ninth, which measures nearly -^ length of head and f to -} 

 longest soft rays. Anal III 9-10 ; third spine about f length of head. 

 Pectoral as long as or a little longer than head, extending to vertical of 



Fie. 248. 



I'aratilapia ventralis. 

 Type (Tr. Z. S. 1898). ^. 



origin of anal or a little beyond. Ventral produced into a very long 

 filament, which, in males, is bifid at the end and may reach the 

 caudal fin. Caudal with deep crescenlic notch. Caudal peduncle Ij 

 to 1 \ times as long as deep. Scales denticulate, 31-36 y^ ^^ \ lateral 

 lines n^ijij, the upper extending to the caudal ])eduncle, or to the root 

 of the caudal. Greyish brown to blackish, with or without irreuular 

 darker or lighter spots; tins grey ov dorsal and anal blue-green edged 

 with blackish ; vcntrals of males black, with the end bright yellow. 



'i'otal length 92 millim. 



Lake Tanganyika. 



