1923.] Fauna of the Chilha Lake : Fish. 749 



Ctenogobius minima, sp. no v. 



D. VIjl/7. A. 1/7-8. 

 This species, the smallest of the Chilka Gobies, is represented by a large number of 

 specimens in the collection. It does not exceed 20 mm, in total length without the caudal fin. 



Text-fig. 30. — Ctenogobius minima sp. nov. : x 6. 



The form is very characteristic ; the dorsal profile is straight and horizontal throughout 

 and the ventral profile bulges most near the base of the pelvic fin. The body is deepest 

 between the bases of the first dorsal and the pelvic ; the chest bulges outwards. The head 

 is broad posteriorly and narrows anteriorly from side to side. The snout is shorter than 

 the diameter of the eye and is rounded at the tip. The length of the head is contained 

 3- 7 times in the length of the body without the caudal fin. The eyes are placed dorso- 

 lateral^ and are hardly visible from below ; the horizontal diameter of the eye is 

 contained 3- 5 times in the length of the head. The mouth is small, with a slightly oblique 

 opening ; the lower jaw is somewhat shorter than the upper. The teeth are minute and the 

 tongue is grooved anteriorly and pointed in the middle. The gill-openings are restricted to 

 the sides and do not extend beyond the base of the pectoral fin. There are four well-marked 

 branchiostegal rays. 



The commencement of the first dorsal fin is equidistant from the tip of the snout and 

 the posterior limit of the base of the caudal fin. The anterior origin of the second dorsal is 

 nearer the base of the caudal than the tip of the snout. It contains one spine and 

 seven branched rays ; the fourth or fifth branched ray is the longest, and is almost 

 as high as the greatest depth of the body. The anal fin begins posterior to the com- 

 mencement of the second dorsal and contains one spine and seven to eight branched rays. 

 The pectoral fin is rounded and is as long as the longest ray of the second dorsal. The 

 pelvic is slightly longer than the pectoral. The caudal is rounded, with a sharp point in ' 

 the middle. 



The body is covered with ctenoid scales, which are firmly set. There are about 25 or 

 26 between the angle of the operculum and the base of. the caudal fin, and six series of 

 longitudinal rows between the bases of the second dorsal and the anal near their anterior 

 origin. The scales are markedly ctenoid, with a large number of radii to the base. 



The colour of the body in spirit is light olivaceous ; the margins of the scales in the 

 upper half of the trunk are speckled with minute black dots. The head is also marked with 

 clusters of black dots. In the female the caudal and the dorsal fins are marked with minute 

 dots. The colouration of the male is somewhat different. The edges of the scales and of 



