FAMILY, IV-CYPRINODONTID^. 523 



Aplocheilus vittatus, Jerdon, M. J. L. and- Sc. 1849, p. 330. 



B. T-vi, D. 8-9, P. 15, V. 6, A. 15-17, C. 19, L. 1. 32-34, L. tr. 9. 



Length of head 4^, of caudal 4^, height of body 5 to 5i in the total length. %es— diameter 3^^ in 

 the length of head, 1| diameters from the end of snout, and \^ apart. Jaws of about the same length 

 anteriorly, the maxiUa reaches to below the first third of the eye. Teeth — outer row in lower jaw, the outer 

 and innermost row in the upper jaw rather enlarged, and in a single row across the palate. Fins — dorsal 

 inserted above the last few anal rays : pectoral nearly as long as the head. Second ventral ray elongated 

 reaching to nearly the middle of the anal fin : anal high, the last rays about the same length as the anterior 

 ones : central caudal rays rather prolonged. Oolowrs — vary with the seasons and sex. Greenish with a gloss of 

 purple on the cheek and along the abdominal surface. A golden green spot in the centre of each scale and 

 also on the eye. Bight to ten vertical black bands pass down the sides to the abdomen. A black spot at 

 the base of the dorsal, it, the caudal, and posterior half of the anal, with black or green spots, in some these 

 fins are tipped with orange, in others they are darkish. ^ In a Ceylon specimen in the British Museum (marked 

 H". pomahax) there are dark blotches and not distinct bars as seen in Malabar. 



Habitat. — Thi? species is found in Coorg and the Wynaad, down the Malabar coast and Ceylon. It attains 

 4 inches in length, and on the Western coast of India, is common in rivers, tanks, and paddy fields, and even 

 in tidal waters. I have specimens as small as 1'2 inches in length, the bands are weU. marked, also the 

 elongated ventral ray, whilst the caudal is much prolonged, and the height of the fish is 6 in the total length. 



4. Haplochilus panchax, Plate CXXI, fig. 3. 

 Esox panchax, Ham. Buch. Fish. Ganges, pp. 211, 380, pi. iii, f. 69. 

 Aplocheilus chrysostigirms and panchax, McClelland, Ind. Gyp. pp. 301, 426, pi. 42, f. 2. 

 Panchax Buchanami, Guv. and Val. xviii, p. 383 ; Bleeker, Beng. p. 72, and Atl. Ich. Cyp. p. 141, t. 43, 

 f 3 ; Blyth, Joum. As. Soc. Beng. 1868, p. 288. 



Tanehax Kuhlii, Guv. and Val. xviii, p. 384. 



Panchax panchax. Cantor, Catal. p. 252. 



Panchax melanopterus, Bleeker, Oost Java, p. 23, Snoek, p. 23, and Beng. p. 144. 



Haplochilus poMcha/x, Giinther, Catal. vi, p, 311. 



Pamg-chax, Beng. : Kamahwri and Bor-ro-guddi, Goriah : Nga-sahi, Mugh. : Gho-to-dah, Andamanese. 



B. v-vi, D. 7-11, P. 15, V. 6, A. 16-17, C. 13, L. 1. 31-34, L. tr. 9-10. 



Length of head 4 to 4-J-, of caudal 6, height of body 4f to 6 in the total length. Hyes — diameter 3^ in 

 the length of head, 1 diameter from the end of snout, and If apart. Lower jaw rather the longer : the 

 maxilla reaches to below the first third of the eye. Teeth — with an enlarged outer row in the upper jaw : 

 in a broad band on the vomer. Fins — dorsal inserted above the last anal rays. In Calcutta specimens it 

 has 7 or 8, rarely more, rays : in those from the Andamans up to 11. Pectoral nearly as long as the head. 

 Ventral small and without any elongated ray. Anal nearly square. Caudal rounded. Oolov/rs — A white 

 occipital spot. Upper surface greenish, becoming dull white on the sides and beneath. Fins yellowish, the 

 lower third of dorsal covered with a, large black spot. Dorsal, caudal, and anal margined with orange. 



Ova very large. 



A variety exists on the Sind hills, and in Cutch which has less scales (28) along the lateral-line, and 

 numerous silvery spots along the sides, and a black spot behind the eye, the dorsal and anal fins are likewise 

 more elongated. 



Habitat. — From Orissa, through the lower province of Bengal, Burma, Siam to the Malay Archipelago, 

 also the Andamans. (? Also Sind hills.) It attains at least 3f inches in length. 



3x2 



