of Clupeid Fishes, 17 



head diverge posteriorly. (22) 24-26 gill-rakers on lower 

 part of anterior arch. Scales 60-64/12 ; ventral scutes 

 33-37, weak. Anal 83-87 (92) ; origin much nearer tip 

 of lower jaw than base of caudal ; length of base about If 

 in length of body. Pectorals equal to or longer than head. 

 A dark scapular spot. 



Bay of Bengal ; Malay Peninsula and Archipelago. 



Several examples, 75-185 mm. in total length, including 

 the types of the species and the type of Apterycjia ramcarata. 



6. Neosteus, gen. nov. 



Closely related to Ilisha^ but differs in having a small 

 toothed bone in place of the ligament between the distal 

 end of the prsemaxillary and the middle of the maxillary. 

 Origin of dorsal in front of that of anal. Scales with trans- 

 verse grooves^ as in Ilisha. 



The majority of the species are tropical, but N. narra- 

 gansetcB was discovered as far north as ll'hode Island on the 

 Atlantic Coast of America. 



Synopsis of the Species, 



I. Anal of 33-43 rays. 



A. Origin of anal behind dorsal, or below its last ray. 



1. Scales 40-44/12-13; ventral scutes 18-19+7-8. 



1. ditchela. 



2. Scales 63-77/17-23 ; ventral scutes 21-23+11-14. 



a. Scales 63-66/17-20 ; oripfin of dorsal equidistant from end 

 of snout and base of caudal, or nearer former. 

 30-31 gill-rakers on lower part of anterior arch ; axil- 

 lary scale of pectoral not reaching middle of first 



ray 2. Jiavipinnis. 



23-26 gill-rakers on lower part of anterior arch ; axil- 

 lary scale of pectoral reaching middle of first ray 

 or beyond 3, castelncsana. 



h. Scales 77/23; origin of dorsal nearer to base of caudal than 

 end of snout 4. altamazonica. 



B. Origin of anal below first third of dorsal .... 5. harroweri. 



II. Anal of 46-51 rays. 



A. Origin of anal below dorsal ; depth of body 2| to 2f in length. 



6. furthii. 



B. Origin of anal behind dorsal ; depth of body 3 to Z% in length. 



Anal of 46 rays; ventral scutes 25+7 7. narragansetce. 



Aual of 49-5i rays; ventral scutes 22-23 + 12-13 . . 8. panamensis. 



1. Neosteus ditchela. 



? Pellona melastoma, Bloch. *& Schn. Syst. Ichth. i. p. 427 (1801) ; 



Cuv. & Val. Hist. Nat. Poiss. xx. p. 308 (1847). 

 Pellona ditchela, Cuv. & Val. ^. c. p. 314; Day, Fish. India, p. 044, 



pi. clxv. fig. o. 



Ann. d) Mag. N. Hist, Ser. 9. Vol. xi. 2 



