152 



CHAKACINID.E. 



8. CITHARINUS. 



Cuvier, Kegne Anim. ii.p. 168 (1817), part. ; Olivier & Valenciennes, Hist. Poiss. xxii. p. 94 (1849), 

 part. ; Muller & Troschel, Hor. Ichtbyol. iii. p. 8 (1845) ; Giinther, Cat. Fish. v. p. 302 (1864); 

 Boulenger, Poiss. Bass. Congo, p. 201 (1901). 



Mouth wide, straight, terminal or subinferior, with minute pointed teeth inserted on 

 the labial margin; maxillary small, toothless. Suborbitals covering only a part of the 

 cheek; nostrils close together, separated by a valvular flap; gill-membranes free from 

 the isthmus ; 4 branchiostegal rays ; an accessory branchial organ. Body very strongly 

 compressed; belly rounded. Scales moderate or small, not ciliated; lateral line 

 equally distant from the dorsal and the ventral outlines, or nearer the former; a 

 scaly process at the base of the ventral fin. Dorsal fin with 17 to 23 rays, above or 

 behind the vertical of the ventrals ; anal with 22 to 31 rays; a small or rather large 

 adipose dorsal fin. 



Fig. 22. 



Upper view of skull and lateral scales of Citliarinus citharus. 



The scales appear smooth, but when examined under a lens of low magnifying- 

 power they are seen to be concentrically striated, and these striae, w 7 hich may be 

 interrupted and wavy, are intersected by short longitudinal raised lines ; the free 

 border of some of the scales on the sides may be slightly festooned or crenulated. 

 The tubes of the lateral line are short and straight, and most of them end in a short 

 branch usually directed downwards but sometimes upwards. Small scales cover the 

 adipose fin, at least at the base. 



The pectoral fin is composed of 15 or 16 rays, the ventral of 11. 



The accessory branchial organ discovered by Sagemehl * consists of a series of 



* Morphol. Jahrb. xii. 1887, p. 307, pi. xviii. 



