496 PHTSOSTOMI. 



Genus, 27 — Gltptostientjm, MeClellcmd. 



GlyptotJiorax, Blyth. 



BroMcMostegals from six to about ten. Gill-openings rather wide, gill-membranes confluent with the sJcin of 

 the isthmus. Head rather depressed cmd covered with soft shin. Eyes small, subrntameous. Mouth inferior, transverse, 

 vrith the upper jaw the longer. Nostrils close together, separated by a ba/rlel. _ Ba/rlels eight, one nasal, ,one 

 maxillary, and two mamdibula/r pahs, the maxillary ones with broad bases. Villiform teeth in 'the jams : palate 

 edentulous. Dorsal fin with a spime OMd six or seven rays : am, adipose fvn present. Pectoral horizontal, with a sl/rong 

 spine, some of its rays being occasionally plaited vnferiorh/, and am, adhesive appa/ratus exists between the bases of the 

 two pectoral fms on the chest, composed of longitudinal plaits. Ventral with six rays, situated posterior to the dorsal. 

 Anal udth a moderate (9-12) number of rays. Gamdal forhed. Air-vessel, when present,* im, two lateral portions 

 more or less enclosed in bone. ■ 



Blyth instituted Glyptothorax for those species having a spine to the dorsal fin, as McClelland in his 

 definition of his Genus observed " spines when present are concealed within the membrane of the fins," and gave 

 as his type Glyptosternum, reticulatus, observing " without spines." 



Geographical distribution. — These fishes are found along the Himalayas and rivers at their bases from 

 Afghanistan to the extreme east of Assam, also in the Malay Archipelago. They are also present in some rivers 

 in the plains of India, but usually not far removed from hills. They appear especially adapted for strong streai^s 

 and those of hilly districts. ■• 



It is certainly open to question whether some of the following might not more properly be termed varieties 

 than species. Roughness of the external edge of the pectoral spine may certainly exist in species in which it is 

 normally smooth. 



SYNOPSIS OP SPECIES. 



1. Glyptost'ernum lonah, A. 11-13. Length of head 6 to 5J in the total. Maxillary barbels reach 

 pectoral fin. Pectoral spine rough or smooth externally. Dorsal spine smooth. Brown, with black marks. 

 Jumna and the Deccan. 



2. Glyptosternum trilineatum, A. 13. Length of head 6 in the total. Maxillary barbels reach the pectoral 

 fin. Chestnut-brown, with two light longitudinal bands. Nepal and Burma. 



3. Glyptosternum aonirostre, A. 11-12. Width of head 2/3 of its length. Adhesive apparatus rather 

 elongated and narrow. Maxillary barbels reach middle of pectoral fin. Himalayas from Kangra and Simla. 



4. Glyptosternum, botia, A. 11-12. Pupil of eyes transversely oval. Maxillary barbels reach to below 

 the hind edge of the eye. Skin roughened with small spinate tuberosities. Jumna and rivers of Northern 

 Bengal. 



5. Glyptosternum telchitta, A. 11. Pupil of eyes circular. Maxillary barbels reach to below the hind 

 edge of eyes. Skin looks as if it had scales imbedded in it. Punjab, N. W. Provinces, Bengal, and Behar. 



6. Glyptosternum striatum, A. 11. Head 4f in the total length. Maxillary barbels reach first third of the 

 pectorals. Khasya hiUs. 



7. Glyptosterrmm Madraspatanum, A. 10-11. Maxillary barbels reach base of pectoral fin. Dorsal spine 

 with serrations on both edges. Bowany river, Madras. 



8. Glyptosternum pectinopterum, A. 9-11. Width of head nearly equals its length. Maxillary barbel 

 reaches base of pectoral spine. Adhesive apparatus wider than long. Himalayas to Simla and DarjeelLng. 



9. Glyptosternum cavia, A. 9. Upper surface of head with elevated spots. Maxillary barbels as long as 

 the head. Ramghur district of Bengal. 



1. Glyptosternum lonah, Plate CXIII, fig. 5. 

 Bagrus lonah, Sykes, Trans. Zool. Soc. ii, p. 371. 

 Glyptost&rrmm lonah, Giinther, Catal. v, p. 187. 

 Glyptosternum Behhanense, Giinther, Catal. v, p. 187. 



D. i/0, P. 1/9, V. 6, A. 11-13 Gl^), C. 15-17. 



Length of head 6 to 6i, of caudal 5, height of body 7 in the total length. Eyes — slightly behind the 

 middle of the length of the head, the width of the iuterorbital space equals 1/3 to 2/7 of the length of the head. 

 Width of head nearly or quite equals its length : upper surface rough. Width of gape of mouth equals 2^ to 3 

 in the length of the head. Lips not fringed. Occipital process nearly or quite four times as long as broad. 

 Barbels — ^the nasal reach half way to the orbit, the maxillary extend to the base or first third of the pectoral, 

 the outer mandibular pair to the giLl-opening, whilst the inner are shorter. Fins — dorsal higher than the body, its 

 spine rather slender, enveloped in skin, If to 2| in the length of the head : adipose dorsal with its base longer 

 than that of the first dorsal, and equal to half the interspace between the two fins. Pectoral spine moderately 

 broad, internally strongly denticulated, externally roughened in some specimens, smooth in others, the fin does 

 not nearly reach the ventral. Caudal forked. Oaudal peduncle— twice as long as high in the young, two-thirds 



* In G. Madraspatamum I have been unable to find £(n air-vessel. 



