ALESTES. 



217 



21. ALESTES MACROLEPIDOTUS. 

 Brycinus macrolepidotus, Cuv. & Val. Hist. Poiss. xxii. p. 157, pi. ccccccxxxix. 



(1849). 

 Alestes macrolepidotus, Bilharz, Sitzb. Ak. Wien, ix. 1852, p. 469, pi. xxxvii. ; 



Kuer, Denkschr. Ak. Wien, xviii. 1860, p. 19 ; Giinth. Cat. Fish. v. p. 313 



(1864), and Petherick's Trav. ii. p. 242 (1869) ; Steind. Sitzb. Ak. Wien, lxi. 



i. 1870, p. 540, pi. i.; Werner, Sitzb. Ak. Wien, cxv. i. 1906, p. 1128; 



Bouleng. Fish. Nile, p. 127, pi. xx. (1907). 

 Alestes macrolepidotus, part., Bouleng. Poiss. Bass. Congo, p. 158 (1901). 



Depth of body 3^ to A\ times in total length, length of head 3^- to 

 4-f times. Head much flattened above, If to 2 times as long as broad, 

 1J to 1^ times as long as deep, its width considerably greater than its 

 length to occiput ; snout rounded and about as long as eye in young, more 



Fig. 163. 



Alestes macrolepidotus. 

 Blue Nile (F. N.). \. 



pointed, projecting beyond lower lip, and 1\ to 2 times as long as eye in 

 adult ; eye infero-lateral, not or scarcely visible from above, well visible 

 from beneath, its diameter 3 (young) to 5|- times in length of head ; 

 adipose eyelid scarcely developed ; interorbital width 2 to 2\ times in 

 length of head ; maxillary not reaching to below anterior border of eye ; 

 16 to 20 teeth (gfjy) in upper jaw, 8 or 10 (-^-) in lower ; lower border 

 of second suborbital as long as or a little longer than diameter of eye. 

 Gill-rakers thin and moderately long, 18-22 on lower part of anterior 

 arch. Dorsal II 8 (rarely 7), above middle of space between ventrals 

 and anal, considerably nearer caudal than occiput ; first branched 

 ray longest, f to ^ length of head. Anal HI 12-14. Pectoral as 

 long as head or a little shorter, sometimes nearly reaching ventral. 



