TILAPIA. 241 



upper jaw ; 3 or 4 series of scales on the cheek, the depth of the scaly 

 part below the eye about § diameter of latter. Gill-rakers rather short, 

 7 or 8 on lower part of anterior arch. Dorsal XV-XVI 9-10 ; spines 

 increasing in length to the last, which measures §, or nearly J, length 

 of head ; longest soft rays § to | length of head. Anal III 9-10 ; third 

 spine longest, about f length of head. Pectoral obtusely pointed, f to 

 -f- length of head, not reaching vertical of origin of anal. Ventral 

 reaching origin of anal or a little beyond. Caudal rounded-subtruncate. 

 Caudal peduncle 1\ to 1^ times as long as deep. Scales feebly denticulate, 

 very small on pectoral region, 30-33 ^ ', lateral lines p^. Back dark 

 olive to blackish, sides brassy yellow to coppery red ; a more or less 

 distinct black bar below the eye ; dorsal and ventrals brown to black ; 

 anal pink, blackish at the base, usually with two or three large orange 

 ocellar spots ; caudal brown or blackish, the lower third often pink. 



Total length 130 millim. 



Victoria Nile. — Types in Genoa Museum. 



1-2. Types. Kakindu. Dr. E. Bayon (G.) ; 



Genoa Museum (P.). 



3. Skel. ,, „ ,, 



73. TILAPIA NIGRICANS. 



Bouleng. Ann. & Mag. N. H. (7) xvii. 1906, p. 448, Fish. Nile, p. 518, pi. xci. 

 fig. 5 (1907), and Ann. Mus. Genova, (3) v. 1911, p. 75. 



Depth of body 2-§- to 2§ times in total length, length of head 3 times. 

 Head twice as long as broad, upper profile curved ; snout broader than 

 long, as long as or a little shorter than eye, which is 3j to 3^ times in 

 length of head, equals interorbital width, and much exceeds least prse- 

 orbital depth ; mouth small, with thick lips, not extending to below 

 anterior border of eye ; teeth small, in 6 or 7 series, outer largest and 

 numbering 44 to 60 in upper jaw ; 3 series of scales on the cheek, width 

 of scaly part a little less than diameter of eye. Gill-rakers moderately 

 long, 8 to 10 on lower part of anterior arch. Dorsal XV-XVI 9-10 ; 

 spines equal from the eighth or ninth, nearly ^ length of head ; longest 

 soft rays f to -|- length of head. Anal III 9-10 ; third spine as long as 

 longest dorsals. Pectoral nearly as long as head, not extending to 

 vertical of origin of anal. Ventral extending beyond origin of anal. 

 Caudal truncate. Caudal peduncle slightly longer than deep. Scales 

 finely denticulate, 31-32 ^ ; lateral lines j^. Blackish or steel-grey 



VOL. III. K 



