190 CHAEACINID/E. 



much produced, the longest more than half total length. Anal III 20. 

 Pectoral as long as ventral. Caudal forked, with pointed lobes. Caudal 

 peduncle a little longer than deep. Scales 38 jj, 3 between lateral line 

 and root of ventral. Brownish above, yellowish beneath ; extremity of 

 dorsal and ventral and edge of anal and caudal blackish. 



Total length 80 millim. 



Upper Congo. 

 1. Type. Upper Congo. Brussels University. 



4. ALESTES. 



Myletes, part., Cuv. Mem. Mus. iv. 1818, p. 444. 



Alestes, part., Mull. & Trosch. Hor. Ichthyol. i. p. 12 (1846). 



Alestes, Cuv. & Val. Hist. Poiss. xxii. p. 179 (1849) ; Giintli. Cat. Fish. v. p. 312 



(1864) ; Bouleng. Poiss. Bass. Congo, p. 148 (1901), and Fish. Nile, p. 110 



(1907). 

 Brycinus, Cuv. & Val. t. c. p. 157. 

 Brackyalestes, part., Giinth. t. c. p. 314. 



Snout short ; mouth moderately large ; praemaxillary bones not movable, 

 with two series of strong teeth few in number, the outer compressed and 

 tri- or quinquecuspid, the inner with molar-like, obliquely truncate or 

 excavated crowns, each armed with several pointed tubercles ; mandibular 

 teeth in two series, the outer composed of several pluricuspid teeth, the 

 inner of a pair of conical teeth; maxillary bone toothless, moderately 

 large. Cheek covered by the large suborbitals ; nostrils near the eye, 

 close together, separated by a valvular flap ; gill-membranes free from 

 the isthmus ; 4 branchiostegal rays. Body more or less elongate and 

 compressed ; belly rounded. Scales moderate or large, not ciliated ; 

 lateral line nearer the ventral than the dorsal outline ; a scaly process at 

 the base of the ventral fin. Dorsal fin with 9 to 11 rays, above or behind 

 the vertical of the ventrals ; anal fin with 13 to 30 rays; a small adipose 

 dorsal fin. Vertebrae 37-51. 



Africa. 



Synopsis of the Species. 



I. Scales 39-50 M 



A. Dorsal originating behind vertical of base of venh-als ; scales 44-51 -£j a ; 

 depth of body 3? to 5J times in total length. 

 A. 22-26 ; gill-rakers 20-26 on lower part 

 of anterior arch ; dorsal originating just 

 behind vertical of last ray of ventral . 1. A. dentex, L., p. 193. 



