340 SILUE1D.E. 



1. CLAROTES LATICEPS. 

 (Plate LXI.) 



Pimelodus laticeps, Ruppell, Beschr. n. Fische Ml, p. 7, pi. i. fig. 2 (1829). 



Bagrus nigrita, Cuvier & Valenciennes, Hist. Poiss. xiv. p. 426, pi. ccccxvi. (1839). 



Bagrus laticeps, Heckel, Russegger's Reise Egypt, iii. p. 331 (1849). 



Clarotes heaglinii, Kner, Sitzb. Ak. Wien, xvii. 1855, p. 313, pis. i. & ii. ; Hyrtl, Denkschr. Ak. 



Wien, xvi. 1858, p. 1, pi. — ; Kner, Arch. £. Naturg. 1865, ii. p. 101. 

 Octonematichthys nigrita, Bleeker, Act. Soc. Sc. Ind.-Neerl. iv. 1858, p. 65. 

 Clarotes laticeps, Giinther, Cat. Fish. v. p. 73 (1864), Zool. Rec. 1866, p. 150, and Petherick's Trav. 



ii. p. 231 (1869) ; Vinciguerra, Ann. Mus. Genova, (2) xv. 1895, p. 39, xvii. 1896, p. 27, and 



1897, p. 349. 

 Chrysiclithys crancliii (non Leach), Steindachner, Sitzb. Ak. Wien, lx. i. 1870, p. 987. 

 Chrysiclithys nigrita, Sauvage, N. Arch. Mus. (2) iii. 1880, p. 40. 



Depth of body four and one-fourth to five and two-thirds times in the total length, 

 length of head twice and four-fifths to three and one-fourth times. Head much 

 depressed, once and one-seventh to once and one-third as long as broad, its upper surface 

 rugose with fine granulations, which are most crowded on the occiput ; operculum with 

 radiating striae ; occipital process as long as broad, nearly as long as the small inter- 

 neural shield with which it is in contact ; snout broad, rounded or truncate ; eye large, 

 transversely oval, its diameter once (young) to three times in the length of the snout, 

 once and a half to five times in the interocular width ; mouth inferior, its width equal 

 to or a little greater than the interocular width ; praemaxillary band of teeth five to 

 seven times as long as broad; vomero-pterygoid teeth forming a narrow band, often 

 narrowly interrupted in the middle, sometimes also on the sides. Nasal barbel one- 

 fourth to two-fifths the length of the head; maxillary barbel flattened, band -like at 

 the base, nearly once to once and two-thirds the length of the head ; outer mandibular 

 barbel once and one-third to once and four-fifths as long as the inner, one-half to nearly 

 once the length of the head. Gill-rakers rather long, 16 to 22 on lower part of anterior 

 arch. Humeral process short, acutely pointed, granulate. Dorsal fin with I 6 rays ; 

 the spine strong, feebly serrated behind in the young, with granulations in front in the 

 adult, one-half to two-thirds the length of the head ; first soft ray longer, but always 

 shorter than the head. Second dorsal fin short, deeper than long, its distance from 

 the first about twice as great as the basal length of the latter ; the rays not distinct in 

 specimens under 100 millim. total length, the strong anterior spine fully ossified in 

 specimens over 400 millim. Anal fin with 12 to 14 rays, 7 or 8 branched. Pectoral 

 fin much shorter than the head, not reaching the ventral, with a strong spine bearing 

 5 (young) to 18 seme on the inner side; these serrae much stronger in proportion in 



