GALEICHTHYS. 381 



26. GALEICHTHYS. 



Ouv. & Val. Hist. Poiss. xv. p. 28 (1840), part. ; Bleek. Nederl. Tijdschr. Dierk. 



i. 1863, p. 90 ; Giinth. Cat. Fish. v. p. 174 (1864). 

 Bagrus, part., Mull. & Trosch. Hor. Ichchyol. iii. p. 6 (1849). 



Body moderately elongate, feebly compressed. Dorsal and anal fins 

 short, the former consisting of a spine and 7 branched rays ; a 

 moderately large adipose fin. Pectoral fin with a spine. Ventral fin 

 with 6 rays, inserted behind the vertical of the dorsal fin. Three pairs 

 of barbels: maxillary and two mandibulars. Nostrils close together. 

 Eyes lateral, with free border. Maxillary bone rudimentary ; jaws with 

 a band of villiform teeth ; teeth on the vomer and the pterygoids. Gill- 

 membranes narrowly attached to isthmus, not notched, forming a 

 continuous transverse fold. 



Vertebrae 52 (23 + 29). Branchiostegal rays 5. 



Coasts and mouths of rivers of South Africa. 



Two species : — 



Caudal tin with long pointed lobes ; caudal 



peduncle at least twice as long as deep . . 1. G. feliceps, C. & V., p. 381. 

 Caudal fin with short obtuse lobes ; caudal 



peduncle not twice as long as deep . . . 2. G. ater, Casteln., p. 382. 



1. GALEICHTHYS FELICEPS. 



Cuv. & Val. t. c. p. 29, pi. ccccxxiv. ; Casteln. Poiss. Afr. Austr. p. 62 (1861); 



Giinth. t. c. p. 175 ; Bleek. Nat. Tijdschr. Nederl. Iud. xxi. 1860, p. 76. 

 Bagtiis capensis, A. Smith, 111. Zool. S. Afr., Fish. pi. viii. (1840); Pappe, Syn. 



Ed. Fish. Cape G. H. p. 29 (1853). 



Depth of body 4 to 4§ times in total length, length of head 3|r to 4 

 times. Head as long as broad or a little longer than broad, moderately 

 depressed, smooth or feebly striated on the occiput and operculum ; 

 a long and narrow occipital process, in contact with a small interneural 

 shield ; snout broad, rounded, projecting feebly beyond mouth ; eye 

 lateral, oval, 1^ (young) to 2^ times in length of snout, 4^ to 8 times in 

 length of head, 2 to 4 times in interocular width ; praemaxillary band 

 of teeth 4 to 5 times as long as broad, broader than the crescentic 

 band of teeth on the palate ; barbels rather flattened, maxillary about 

 ^ length of head in the adult to once in the young, outer mandibular 

 \ to §, inner mandibular ^ to \. Gill-rakers rather short, 8 or 9 on 

 lower part of anterior arch. Dorsal I 7, 1^ to 1-f times as distant from 



