MASTACEMBELUS. 141 



34. MASTACEMBELUS OPHIDIUM. 



Giintli. Proc. Zool. Soc. 1893, p. 630 ; Bouleng. Poiss. Bass. Congo, p. 499 (1901), 

 and Tr. Zool. Soc. xvii. 1906, p. 576. 



Body feebly compressed, subcylindrical, its depth 21 to 28 times 

 in total length ; length of head 8^ to 10 times. Vent much nearer 

 end of snout than caudal, its distance from head 2f to 2f times length 

 of latter. Snout 2 to 2\ times as long as eye, ending in an appendage 

 which is shorter than latter; mouth extending to below posterior 

 border of eye ; no prseorbital or prseopercular spines. Dorsal XXX- 

 XXX11I 100-3 20; spines very short; distance between first spine and 



Pig. 96. 





4&f«,-£S&^ 





Mastacembelus ophidiwm. 

 Burton Gulf. *• 



head about ^ length of latter. Anal I 115-130. Caudal pointed, the 

 tail strongly attenuate behind. Pectoral ^ length of head. Scales 

 extremely small, about 25 between origin of soft dorsal and lateral line. 

 Pale olive-brown above, with roundish spots of a darker brown, white 

 beneath ; dorsal and pectoral spotted with brown ; anal and caudal of 

 a light orange colour, unspotted. 



Total length 330 millim. 



Lake Tanganyika. 



1-5. Types. Near Ujiji. E. Coode Hore, Esq. (P.). 



6. Ad. Barton Gulf. Dr. W. A. Cunnington (C). 



