NOTES ON FISHES IN THE INDIAN MUSEUM. 



IV. On Fishes belonging to the genus Botia (Cobitidae). 



By Sunder Lal Hora, M.Sc, Assistant Superintendent, 

 Zoological Survey of India. 



The Kashmir Survey Party of the Zoological Survey of India 

 has recently brought back a large series of specimens of the genus 

 Botia. The taxonomy of the Indian species assigned to this genus 

 is unsatisfactory and in this note an attempt is made to clear it up. 

 I have also included a key to all the known species of the genus 

 based, in the case of extra-Indian species, on the published des- 

 criptions and figures. 



Genus Botia Gray. 



The genus may be described as follows : A genus of Cobitidae 

 consisting of elongate and laterally compressed species often of 

 large size with minute scales on the body, with a bifid spine before 

 and partly below the eye. There are six or eight barbels, in 

 the former case four are situated on the rostrum and are united 

 at their base and two at the corners of the mouth. In the 

 case of those species that possess eight barbels there is an extra 

 pair at the mandibular symphysis. The head is long and 

 pointed. The eyes are provided with a free circular orbital 

 margin. The mouth is small and is surrounded by thick lips. 

 The nostrils are situated close together, the anterior ones are 

 tubular. The origin of the dorsal is distinctly in advance of 

 the ventrals ; the anal fin is short and the caudal is deeply forked. 

 The pharyngeal bones are delicate and bear a single series of sharp 

 slender teeth. The air-bladder is of the Cyprinoid type, but the 

 anterior chamber is partially or wholly enclosed in a bony capsule 

 and the posterior chamber, which lies free in the abdominal cavity, 

 is generally reduced. 



The genus is closely allied to Parabolia ' and Leptobotia 2 ; the 

 three genera may be distinguished by the following key : — 



A. Suborbital spine bifid ... ... ... ... Botia. 



R. Suborbital spine simple. 



I. Six barbels, two on the upper jaw and four on the 

 mandible; preopercular region not ornamented with a 



series of small scales ... ... ... Parabotia. 



II. Six barbels, four on the upper jaw and two on the 

 mandible; preopercular region ornamented with a 



series of small scales ... ... ... Leptobotia. 



1 Saiivage and Thiersant, Ann. Sci. Nat. (6) I, p. 17 (1874.) 



2 Bleel<er, Versl. Meded. Ak. Weteuscli. Amsterdam (4) IV, p. 254 (1870). 



