442 ANABAjSTIDlE. 



the parasphenoid, palatine teeth present or absent. Anterior nostril in a short tube. 

 Gill-openings large, the gill-membranes attached to the isthmus ; an accessory cavity, 

 with superbranchial organ, above the gill-chamber. Spinous part of the dorsal and 

 anal fins longer than the soft. Vertebrae 26 to 31 (10-13 +1G-18). 



Four species are known from South-western Asia and fifteen from Tropical and 

 South Africa. The genus is represented by two species in the Nile system. 



1. ANABAS PETHERICL 

 (Plate LXXXIII. fig. 1.) 



Ctenopoma petherici, part., Giinther, Ann. & Mag. N. H. (3) xiii. 1864, p. 211, xx. 1867, p. 110, 



and Petherick's Trav. ii. p. 208, pi. i. fig. A (1869). 

 Anabas petherici, Boulenger, Ann. & Mag. N. H. (7) iii. 1899, p. 243. 



Depth of body twice and one-fourth to twice and a half in the total length, length 

 of head twice and two-thirds to three times. Snout rounded, as long as or a little 

 shorter than the eye, the diameter of which is four to four and two-thirds times in 

 the length of the head and about once and a half in the interorbital width ; mouth 

 oblique, lower jaw very slightly projecting; maxillary extending to below the anterior 

 third of the eye ; jaws with broad bands of villiform teeth, with an outer series of 

 larger teeth ; a very small chevron-shaped group of vomerine teeth and a narrow linear 

 band of palatine teeth ; prseorbital very narrow, not serrated ; a few small serrae may 

 be present at the angle of the praeoperculum ; operculum with two groups of strong 

 serrse, with a deep notch between them ; suboperculum and interoperculum finely 

 serrated ; four or five series of ctenoid scales between the eye and the angle of the 

 prseoperculum, the scales of the two series near the eye strongly spiniferous in males. 

 Dorsal fin with 17 to 19 (usually 18) spines and 8 to 10 (usually 10) soft rays, the 

 latter covered with thin scales ; spines strong, increasing in length to the last, which 

 measures two-fifths to half the length of the head ; soft portion of the fin rounded or 

 obtusely pointed, the longest rays half to two-thirds the length of the head. Anal 

 tin similar to the dorsal, with 10 spines and 10 or 11 soft rays. Pectoral fin rounded, 

 about two-thirds the length of the head, longer than the ventral, which extends to the 

 first anal spine. Caudal fin rounded. No caudal peduncle, the dorsal and anal fins 

 extending to the caudal fin, which is covered with large ctenoid scales at the base, 

 whilst thin scales cover its rays. Scales strongly ctenoid, 28 to 30 in a longitudinal 

 series, ^To i n a transverse series ; lateral lines ^j^. 



According to Mr. Loat's notes and a sketch made at Fashoda, the colour is uniform 

 olive or dark green, the ventral surface whitish ; a roundish black spot is present on 



