LUCIOLATES.— AMBASSIS. Ill 



fine, scarcely distinct ; pnxioperculam with the posterior border finely 

 toothed, the lower border with 2 or 3 small spines and the angle with 

 two stronger spines ; a rather small opercular spine. Gill-rakers long 

 and slender, 22-24 on lower part of anterior arch. Dorsals VI, I-II 

 9-10, the distance between them greater than the length of either ; 

 first and sixth spines minute, easily overlooked, second longest, nearly ^ 

 length of head ; longest soft rays not quite ^ length of head. Anal 

 III 9, spines very feeble. Pectoral very asymmetrical, upper rays 

 longest, f to f length of head. Caudal with deep, cresccntic notch. 

 Caudal peduncle 3 to 8^ times as long as deep. Scales 93-100 :^2\.' 

 Brown, with a white ventral band ; base of pectoral fin black. 



Total length 380 millim. 



Lake Tanganyika. — Types in Congo Museum, Tervueren. 

 1. One of the types. Kilewa Bay. Dr. L. Stappers (C). 



2. LUCIOLATES BREVIOR. 

 Bouleng. t. c. p. 443. 



Agrees very closely with the preceding, but body less elongate ; 

 distance between dorsal fins not exceeding the length of either, and eye 

 larger. Depth of body 4 times in total length, length of head 3 times. 

 Head 3 times as long as broad ; eye 1^ times in length of snout, 4 times 

 in length of head, and nearly twice interorbital width. 24 gill-rakers. 

 Dorsals VI, II 9. Anal III 8. Caudal peduncle not quite 3 times as 

 long as deep. Scales 90 21- 



Total length 310 millim. 



Take Tanganyika.— Type in Congo Museum, Tervueren. 



4. AMBASSIS. 



Guv. & Val. Hist. Poiss. ii. p. 175 (1828) ; Giiiith. Oat. Fish. i. p. 222 (1859). 



Body oblong or short, strongly compressed; scales large, cycloid; 

 lateral" line complete. Mouth moderately large, protractile ; maxillary 

 exposed, without supplemental bone ; teeth in jaws viiliform ; small 

 teeth on vomer and palatines. Preeorbital and prasoperculum serrated, 

 operculum without a prominent spine. 6 branchiostegal rays. Dorsal 

 divided into two portions by a deep notch, with 8 spines, preceded by 

 a small spine directed forwards ; anal similar in size to the soft part 

 of the dorsal, with 3 spines : both fins with a scaly sheath at the base. 



