268 cypkintm:. 



6. NEOBOLA. 



Vlnciguerra, Ann. Mus. Genova, (2) xv. 1895, p. 56 ; Boulenger, Proc. Zool. Soc. 



1903, ii. p. 332. 



Body strongly compressed, but belly not keeled, covered with moderately large 

 scales. Lateral line low down, following the ventral outline of the body and running 

 along the lower part of the caudal peduncle. Mouth moderate or large, oblique, 

 without lips ; no barbels. Suborbitals large, covering the cheek. Gill-membranes 

 narrowly united to the isthmus. Dorsal fin without ossified ray, with 9 to 11 rays, 

 7 or 8 of which are branched, originating above or slightly before or behind the vertical 

 of the origin of the anal. Anal fin with 18 to 20 rays. A scaly process at the base of 

 the ventral fin. Pharyngeal teeth conical, hooked, in two series (3, 5 — 5, 3). 



Neobola is a connecting-link between Barilius and Chelcethiops, differing from the 

 former in the more posterior position of the dorsal fin, from the latter in the absence of 

 a ventral keel and in the wider separation of the pectoral fins. 



Three species are known : — N. bottegi, Vinciguerra, from Lake Rudolf, Gallaland, 

 and Somaliland ; N. minuta, Blgr., from Lake Tanganyika ; and N. argentea, PeRe^rin, 

 from Lake Victoria. The three species are very closely related ; the third is, however, 

 readily distinguished from the first by its smaller mouth, not extending beyond the 

 vertical of the anterior border of the eye, and from both the first and the second by its 

 smaller scales. As may be seen from the table of measurements (p. 269), in which 

 particulars of several specimens of N. bottegi and N. minuta are given for comparison 

 with N. argentea, the length of the pectoral fin varies much in the former species, and 

 may not reach the base of the ventrals. 



1. NEOBOLA ARGENTEA. 



(Plate XLVI. fig. 5.) 



Pellegrin, Bull. Soc. Zool. France, 1904, p. 184, and Mem. Soc. Zool. France, 

 xvii. 1905, p. 178, fig. 



Depth of body four and one-fourth to four and three-fourths times in the total length, 

 length of the head three and three-fourths to four and one-third times. Head about 

 twice as long as broad; snout acutely pointed, not projecting beyond the mouth, 

 slightly shorter than the diameter of the eye, which measures nearly one-third the 

 length of the head and equals the interorbital width ; mouth extending to below the 



