612 PHTSOSTOMI. 



prominent. Ba/rhels six, two rostral and one maatillary pair. No spine on the head. Dorsal fin of moderate length, . 

 commencing somewhat in advance of the ventrals. Gaudal forked. 



The appearance is very similar to Aoanthopsis, but there is no spine on the head. 



SYNOPSIS OF INDIVIDUAL SPECIES. 



1. Nemachilichthys Buppelli, D. 13, A. 7. Greenish yelloTv, with brown bands : fins yellow, with black 

 bands or rows of spots. Deccan. 



Nemachilichthys Ruppelli, Plate CLV, fig. 7. 



Colitis Ruppelli Sykes, Trans. Zool. See. ii, p. 366, pi. 64, fig. 1 ; Bleaker, Beng. p. 70. 

 Nemacheihis Ruppelli, Day, J. A. S. Beng, 1872, p. 184. 



B. iii, D. 13(tV), p. 13, V. 8, A. 7(|), C. 19. 



Length of head hi, of caudal .5, height of body 7| in the total leijgth. Byes — slightly behind the 

 middle of the length of the head, 2i diameters from end of snout. Head poiuted, Ba/rhels — ^four well 

 developed rostral ones joined at their bases, and nearly 1/2 as long as the head, also a maxillary pair. Fins — 

 dorsal arises midway between the snout and base of the caudal which is forked : the upper margin of the 

 dorsal fin straight. Scales — moderately developed. Lateral-line — distinct. Colours — greenish yellow except 

 the abdomen which is white, short brown bars along the lateral-line, and the rays of the dorsal and anal barred. 

 Caudal with four posteriorly directed V-shaped brown bars. A black spot at the base of the upper caudal 

 lobe. 



The elongated snout of this species is very similar to that seen in Aaanthqpsis, but it has no spine on the 

 head : its rostral barbels arise on one base as seen in Botia. 



Habitat. — Deccan. The example figured (life size) was from Poona. 



Genus, 9— Nemacheiltjs, van Masselt. 



Acoura aild Acov/rus, Swains. : Acanthocohitis, Peters : Oreias, Sauvage : Biplophysa, Kessler.* 



Body elongated. Borsal profile nearly horizontal. Barbels eight or six, when the former nvmber is present, 



the extra pair belongs to the posterior nostrils ; none on the m,andibles. No spvn& on the head. Dorsal fin of moderate 



length, or short, situated opposite the ventrals. 



This genus has been subdivided into those species which have upwards of twelve dorsal rays 

 (Aeanthocobitis) , and those with less than twelve. As this arbitrary division is not a natural one, it is not 

 adopted here. Another subdivision has been instituted into those in which the tail is forked, and those in 

 which it is entire. The genus, may, however, be subdivided into those with eight and those with six barbels. 



Amongst these little fishes there are several subjects that have to be mentioned, which though of 

 consequence in some carps appear to be of less value in the loaches. The height of the body is liable to vary 

 considerably in accordance with whether it is well or ill nourished. The number of rays in the dorsal fin in 

 sonie (N. botia) appear to be subject to variation. Sometimes the preorbital is raised and with a free lower edge, 

 while this may not occur in all examples of the same species : and the form of the caudal fin likewise 

 is occasionally inconstant, being slightly convex, concave, or cut square in fishes of the same species. 



_ Some species are strongly compressed posteriorly, and in those from hilly regions we sometimes see folds 

 of skin more or less covering the eye like a lid. 



Geographical distribution. — Fresh waters of India, Ceylon, and Burma. 



SYNOPSIS OF SPECIES. 



a. With eight ba/rbels. 



1. Nemacheilus JEvezwrdi, D. 9. Greenish, with small dark blotches. Poona in the Deccan. 



b. With six ba/rbels. 



2. Nemacheilus pa/vonaceus, D. 16-20. Body barred ; caudal slightly notched. 



3. Nemacheilus rubidipinnis, D. 15-16. Body with 12 to 15 bands. Caudal emarginate. Tenasserim. 



4. NemacheilMS botia, D. 11-14. Body irregularly blotched. Caudal entire or slightly emarginate. 

 Throughout India and Ceylon, except Malabar. 



5. Nemacheilus monoceros, D. 12. Caudal and dorsal fins barred. Caudal rounded. Assam. 



6. Nemacheilus pulchellus, D. 12. Caudal forked. Yellow blotches on body. Fins barred. Bowany 

 river. 



7. Nemacheilus sinuatus, D. 10-11. Caudal cut square. Vertical brown bands, with shorter inter- 

 mediate ones. Dorsal and caudal barred. Wynaad. 



* '^^^^ includes species fiom Western Turkeatan, haTing the air-vessel in two parts, the anterior enclosed in a bony capsule, 

 the posterior free and elongated in the abdominal cavity. 



