THE CYPRINODONTS. 33 
longer than snout, nearly equal width of forehead, one third of head. Dor- 
sal origin about midway from occiput to base of caudal, or nearly half way 
from snout to end of caudal. Anal origin below the fourth or fifth ray of the 
dorsal. Ventrals small, most often with five rays. Pectorals reaching a ver- 
tical from the ventrals. Caudal convex. 
Brownish, with twelve to seventeen narrow bands of silvery crossing the 
flanks. Fins brownish to blackish ; in cases with light borders on dorsal, 
caudal, and anal. Anal of some specimens with silvery dots on the basal 
half. Giinther gives the colors of the male as dark greenish brown, with 
silvery dots on the caudal portion of the trunk; fins black, dorsal and 
anal with two oblique series of white spots. Females and young according 
to him are light brownish green, with numerous silvery vertical streaks; fins 
transparent, colorless. 
Persia ; Syria; Dead Sea. 
Lebias mento. 
Iebias mento Heckel, 1844, Ichth. Russeg. Reisen, I, 1089, pl. 6, fig. 4. 
Cyprinodos meato Vol., 1846, C. V. Poiss., XVIII, 171; Blk., 1860, Cypr., 484; Gth., 1866, Cat., 
sin eypris Heck., 1844, Ichth. Russeg. Reisen, I, 1090, — 1849, Vol. IT, 242, pl. 19, fig. 1. 
Cyprinodon eypris Bik., 1860, Cypr. 484; Gth., 1966, Cat., VI, 304. 
B. 4; D. 11-12; A. 11-10; V. 5-6; P. 15; Ll. 26-28; Ltr. 8. 
Short and stout, head and body compressed, caudal pedicel short, deep. 
Head short, less than depth of body, nearly two sevenths of length to base 
of caudal, deeper than wide, arched across the forehead. Snout shorter than 
the eye, blunt; chin nearly vertical. Mouth small, opening obliquely up- 
ward ; lower jaws longer, firmly joined; upper short, protractile. Teeth 
strong, firmly set, tricuspid. Eye large, two sevenths of head, two thirds of 
interorbital space, longer than snout. Dorsal origin midway from eye to 
base of caudal. Anal origin below posterior half of base of dorsal. Ventrals 
small, hardly reaching anal aperture, commonly five rayed. Pectorals small, 
reaching a vertical from the ventrals. On males dorsal and anal are some- 
what farther forward. Caudal deep, convex. I find but four branchiostegal 
rays on each side of a specimen dissected. 
Olivaceous, light grayish to greenish ; sides, belly, and lower half of cheek 
silvery. Fins plain or clouded, or with transverse series of small dots of dark 
color. Occasionally specimens are found that are sprinkled over head and 
body with small dots of black. Originally described from Mossul. Appa- 
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