■tr" 



■';-'■ ';-■■■ ... ' ,;:--,'^^ ::; 239 



Head strongly depressed and moderately large, 27-31% SL in length, 15-19% 

 SL in breadth at postorbitals. Dorsal profile of head gently raised to dorsal fin 

 origin, more abruptly inflected upward in large specimens; head depth at middle of 

 orbits 7-10% SL, depth at frontal-supraoccipital suture 10-15% SL. Snout relatively 

 long (52-57% HL), broadly parabohc to slightly pointed in dorsoventral profile. 

 Mouth inferior, gape broad, exposing anterior portion of premaxillary tooth patch 

 (Fig. 1). Premaxillary tooth patches broad at midline, strongly recurved <ind tapered 

 to thin points at comers of mouth. Premaxillary teeth setiform, retrorse. Eyes 

 sublateral, relatively small (8-14% HL), covered by thick skin and invested by fatty 

 tissue, especially in larger individuals. Anterior nares near margin of upper lip, at 

 anterolateral comers of mesethmoid; posterior nares remote from anterior pair. 

 Barbels filiform, inconspicuous in females and nonbreeding males; barbels of 

 nuptial males ossified, with 11+10 recurved odontodes in one specimen examined. 

 Cranial bones textured on dorsal surface with weak longitudinal ridges. Fontanelle 

 relatively long, terminating at plane behind orbit, not extending onto nuchal shield. 

 Gill membranes narrowly fused to isthmus at plane passing behind orbits. , 

 Branchiostegals 8-9, modally 9. First epibranchial with 3-4 gill rakers in outer row, 

 ceratobranchial with 9-12 rakers; total number of gill rakers 13-16. Gill rakers 

 relatively short, crenulate on medial margin. 



Body elongate and strongly compressed behind pectoral fins. Profile of back 

 from dorsal fin to caudal peduncle nearly straight or gently curved. Ventral profile 

 tapering gradually to caudal peduncle. Body depth relatively low at dorsal fin origin 

 (14-19% SL); caudal peduncle very narrow (6-7% SL in depth). 



Dorsal-fin spine thin, slightly mgose on anterior margin, with very weak, 

 retrorse serrae along distal half or more of posterior margin. Dorsal spine of 

 nuptial males elongated and hyperossified, with about 40-60 sharp, antrorse serrae 

 along anterior margin. Adipose fin small, strongly constricted at base. Caudal fin 



