20 



LEPIDOSIRENJDiE. 



1. PROTOPTERUS ANNECTENS. 

 Lt'pidosiren annectens, Owen, Proc. Linn. Soc. 1839, p. 27, and Tr. Linn. Soc. xviii. 



1841, p. 327, pis. xxiii.-xxvii. ; Gray, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1856, p. 312, pi. xi. 

 Protopterus anguilliformis,Ov/on, Tr. Linn. Soc. t. c. p. 332 ; Peters, Reise Mossamb. 



iv. p. 3, pi. i. fig. 1 (18G8). 

 ffliinoeryptis amphibia, Peters, Mon. Berl. Ac. 1814, p. 414. 

 Protopterus annectens, Jardine, Ann. & Mag. N. H. vii, 1841, p. 21 ; Grav, 



Cat. Batr. Grad. p. G2 (1850) ; Lankester, Tr. Zool. Soc. xiv. 189(5, p. 11, 



pi. ii. fig. 2 ; Bouleng. Poiss. Bass. Congo, p. 36 (1901), and Proc. Zool. Soc. 



1902, ii. p. 325, pi. xxviii. fig. 1. 

 Protopiterus rhinocryptis, Gray, 1. c. p. 63. 

 Protopterus annectens, part., A. Diim. Hist. Poiss. ii. p. 470 (1870) ; Giinth. Cat. 



Fish. viii. p. 322 (1870) ; A. Schneid. Zool. Anz. 1886, p. 524, and Zool. 



Beitr. ii. 1887, p. 98. 

 Protopterus amphibius, A. Schneid. II. cc. 



Depth of body 6^ to &-| times in total length. Length of head 3^ to 

 A\ times in distance from end of snout to vent ; snout broadly rounded, 

 about \ length of head ; eye small, its diameter 8 to 12 times in length 



Fig. 14. 







Protopterus annectens. 

 Gambia, after Gray (P. Z. S. 1856). \. 



of head (in half-grown and adult), 2^- to 3^ times in interocular width. 

 34 to 36 pairs of ribs. Dorsal originating nearer occiput than vent. 

 Fore limb longer than hind limb and provided with a well-developed, 

 often strong fringe; hind limb with a more or less distinct or rudi- 

 mentary fringe. 40 to 50 scales in a longitudinal series from gill- 

 opening to above vent, 36 to 40 round middle of body. Grey-brown 

 or olive above, lighter beneath, with or without round blackish spots ; 

 lines of sensory canals brown or black. 



Total length 6-30 millim. 



West Africa, from the Senegal to the Niger, Chad Basin, East Africa, 

 as far south as the Zambesi. — Type in Museum of Royal College of 



hurgeons. 



