366 



CICHLID^. 



Head twice as long as broad ; snout with curved upper profile, rounded, 

 broader than long, as long as postocular part of head, shorter than eye, 

 which is 2§ to 2| times in length of head, equals iuterorbital width and 

 3 times praeorbital depth ; mouth extending to below anterior fourth of 

 eye; teeth very small, in 2 or 3 series, 70 to 90. in outer series of upper 

 jaw; 2 or 3 series of scales on the cheek, width of scaly part not i 

 diameter of eye. Gill-rakers rather long, 17 to 19 on lower part of 

 anterior area. Dorsal XII-XIII 12-14 ; spines subequal from the 

 eighth or ninth, which measures nearly ^ length of head and f to f 

 longest soft rays. Anal III 9-10 ; third spine about f length of head. 

 Pectoral as long as or a little longer than head, extending to vertical of 



Fig. 248. 





,. f^m 





jfaratilcqna ventrcdis. 

 Type (Tr. Z. S. 1898). |. 



origin of anal or a little beyond. Ventral produced into a very long 

 filament, which, in males, is bifid at the end and may reach the 

 caudal fin. Caudal with deep crescentic notch. Caudal peduncle l^ 

 to 1| times as long as deep. Scales denticulate, 34-36 — ; lateral 



T 30-36 ., X T . 1 , , 



hues loijj;, the upper extending to the caudal peduncle, or to the root 

 of the caudal. Greyish brown to blackish, with or without irregular 

 darker or lighter spots ; fins grey or dorsal and anal blue-green edged 

 with blackish ; ventrals of males black, with the end bright yellow. 



Total length 92 millim. 



Lake Tanganyika. 



