1074 MR. G. A. BOULENGER ON [Dec. 10, 



Clarias nriiacracanthus Giinther, t.c. pp. 16 & 429, and Petherick's 

 Trav. ii. p. 219; Lortet, Arch. Mus. Lyon, iii. 1883, p. 151, 

 pi. xvii. ; Tristram, Faun. Palest, p. 169, pi. xix. fig. 1 (1884). 



Clarias xenodon Giinther, Oat. Fish. v. p. 16. 



Clarias longiceps Boulenger, Ann. Mus. Congo, Zool. i. 1899, 

 p. 103, pi. xli. fig. 1, and Poiss. Bass. Congo, p. 256 (1901). 



Depth of body 5 to 9 times in total length, length of head 3 to 

 3| times. Head 1| to 1|^ times as long as broad, its upper surface 

 coarsely granulate in the adult ; occipital process angular or 

 rounded ; frontal fontanelle sole-shaped or knife-shaped, 2^ to 

 4 times as long as broad, 3| to 6 times in length of head ; 

 occipital fontanelle small, in advance of occipital process ; eye 

 2 (young) to 41 times in length of snout, 4 to 7 times in inter- 

 orbital width ; width of mouth equal to or a little less than 

 interorbital width ; band of prsemaxillary teeth 4 (young) to 6 

 times as long as broad ; vomerine teeth granular, forming a 

 crescentic band with or without a posterior median process, its 

 greatest width, in the middle, 1| to 2| times that of the prse- 

 maxillary band ; anterior mandibular teeth pointed, posterior 

 granular ; nasal barbel ^ to |^ length of head (up to ^ in the very 

 young) ; maxillary barbel usually a little shorter than head, 

 sometimes a little longer (up to once and a half in the very 

 young), reaching extremity of pectoral spine or a little beyond 

 extremity of pectoral fin ; outer mandibular barbel once and ^ to 

 once and ^ as long as inner, which measvires f to ? length of head. 

 Gill-rakers long and closely set, 35 (very young) to 135 on anterior 

 arch. Clavicles striated or rugose with granulations, more or less 

 distinct under the thin skin. Dorsal 62 to 82, its distance from 

 the occipital process y to | length of head, its distance from caudal 

 not greater than diameter of eye. Anal 50 to 65, narrowly sepa- 

 rated from caudal. Pectoral f to ^ length of head, the spine 

 serrated on the outer side and |- (young) to | the length of the fin. 

 Yentral equally distant from end of snout and root of caudal, or a 

 little nearer the former. Caudal about half length of head. 



Greyish olive or olive-brown to blackish above, uniform or 

 marbled with lighter, white or greyish beneath ; vertical fins dark, 

 often with a yellowish edge ; usually a more or less distinct dark 

 band on each side of the lower surface of the head. Young- 

 specimens often with a dark bar, edged with yellowish in front 

 and behind, across the caudal fin. Black spots sometimes present 

 on the caudal fin. 



Total length 1170 millim. 



Syria, ISTile, Senegal, ISTiger, Congo. 



8. Clarias mellandi. 



Boulenger, Ann. & Mag. N. H. (7) xvi. 1905, p. 644. 



Depth of body 5g times in total length, leng-th of head 3| times. 

 Head once and |- as long as broad, feebly granulate above ; 

 occipital process angular ; frontal fontanelle knife-shaped, -^ length 



