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Mastacembelus pancalus 



PEYTON MacMORRIS, M. D. 





Mastacembelus pancalus 



The species of the family to which 

 our subject belongs inhabit Southern 

 Asia, extending from Syria to the Malay 

 Archipelago. All the species of Masta- 

 cembelus are characterized by the long, 

 fleshy appendage to the snout, and in 

 some the dorsal and anal fins are conflu- 

 ent with the caudal instead of distinct 

 as in the species illustrated. 



Pancalus, specimens of which were 

 secured by European aquarists about fif- 

 teen years ago, inhabits the deltas of the 

 rivers of India, and may be inferred as 

 common, inasmuch as it has attracted 

 sufficient attention to be known to the 

 natives by sundry names — Pangkal, 

 Gochi, Gangr-gonti and others equally 

 jargon-like to the Anglo-Saxon. Though 

 small, about seven inches in length, it is 



India 



, — 4 



held in esteem as a food fish, not only 

 by the natives, but by others to whom 

 fishes of snake-like form are not repul- 

 sive. 



The general color of this species is 

 greenish-olive above, becoming yellowish 

 beneath, with many yellowish-white spots 

 distributed over the sides. The lateral 

 line is pronounced, but technical descrip- 

 tions of the species do not indicate a lat- 

 eral color stripe as prominent as illus- 

 trated. Secondary sexual characters do 

 not seem to be developed. 



References may be found in aquarium 

 literature to Mastacembelus argus 

 Guenther, of Siam. In the aquarium the 

 eggs are said to adhere to the glass sides, 

 plants or stones, hatching in a few days, 

 the young gathering in a school about 



