90 CTPEINID^E. 



3. VABICOEHINUS. 



Varicorhinus, Riippell, Mus. Senckenb. ii. p. 21 (1837). 



Capoeta, part., Cuvier & Valenciennes, Hist. Poiss. xvi. p. 278 (1842) ; Griinther, Cat. Fish. vii. p. 77 



(1868) ; Boulenger, Poiss. Bass. Congo, p. 220 (1901). 

 Cliondro stoma, part., Cuvier & Valenciennes, Hist. Poiss. xvii. p. 381 (1844). 

 Dillonia, Heckel, Russegger's Reise Egypt, iii. p. 285 (1846). 

 Gymnostomus, part., Heckel, t. c. p. 287. 

 Pterocapoeta, Giinther, Novit. Zool. ix. 1902_, p. 446. 



Body strongly compressed, covered with small, moderate, or large scales. Lateral 

 line nearer the belly than the back, but running along the middle of the caudal 

 peduncle. Mouth large, inferior, transverse, feebly protractile, without lips, the upper 

 jaw partly covered by a rostral fold, the lower completely exposed and showing a sharp 

 cutting-edge covered with a horny layer • barbels present or absent. Suborbitals not 

 covering the cheek. Dorsal fin with or without ossified ray, with 11 to 14 rays, 8 to 11 

 of which are branched. Anal fin short, with 7 or 8 rays. Pharyngeal teeth in three 

 series (2, 3, 4 or 5 — 5 or 4, 3, 2), with spoon-shaped crowns, which may be close together 

 as in Labeo or more wide apart as in Barbus. 



This genus may be regarded as nearly intermediate between Labeo and Barbus. 

 It is well distinguished from the first by the absence of lips, whilst the buccal character 

 distinguishes it less sharply from the second, owing to the existence of certain 

 annectant African and Syrian species, which have been referred either to Barbus or 

 to Capoeta. The Cyprinus capoeta of Giildenstadt, or C. fundulus of Pallas, agrees, 

 however, in all essential characters with Varicorhinus beso, aud as this Asiatic species 

 is the type of the genus Capoeta of Cuvier and Valenciennes, the latter name must 

 lapse as a synonym of the earlier name proposed by Riippell. The genus can be 

 divided into five sections: 1. The species with large scales, one pair of barbels, and 

 the last simple ray of the dorsal strong and ossified (Varicorhinus, Riipp., Lillonia, 

 Heck.) ; 2. The species with small scales, one pair of barbels, and the last simple ray 

 of the dorsal strong and ossified (Capoeta, C. & V.) ; 3. The species with large scales, 

 two pairs of barbels, and the last simple ray of the dorsal strong and ossified ; 4. The 

 species with small scales, two pairs of barbels, and the last simple ray of the dorsal 

 strong and ossified ; 5. The species with small scales, one pair of barbels, and the last 

 simple ray of the dorsabfeeble and flexible (Gymnostomus, Heck., Pterocapo'eta, Gthr.). 

 The first section is represented by a single species, here described ; the second is 

 represented in Africa by V. tanganicce, Blgr. (D. Ill 9; Sq. 68-70 H ? 15 f ) ; the third 

 by V. ansorgii, Blgr. (D. IV 9 ; Sq. 22 ^f), from the Kwango River in Angola; and the 



