BHYNCHOBDELLID.E. 331 



Synopsis of Indian Genera. 



Snout transversely striated beneath. No 



preorbital spine 1. RHYNCHOBDELLA. 



Snout not transversely striated beneath. A 



preorbital spine , . , 2. MASTACEMBELTJS. 



Genus 1. RHYNCHOBDELLA, Bloch & Schneider. 



Syn. Mastacembelus, Gronov. 



Branchiostegals six. Cleft of mouth narrow ; a long fleshy 

 snout, concave beneath, and transversely striated. Minute teeth on 

 jaws and vomer. Dorsal and anal not confluent with the caudal 

 fin. Scales small, cycloid. Lateral line present. Air-bladder 

 elongate. Two csecal appendages. 



Geographical Distribution. Deltas of all large rivers of Sind, India, 

 and Burma ; preferring muddy ponds or similar pieces of water. 



1155. (1.) Rhynchobdella aculeata. (Fig. 110.) 



Ophidium aculeatum, Bloch, Ich. tab. 159, fig. 2. 

 Rhynchobdella aculeata, Jerdon, Mad. Jour. L. Sc. xv, 1848, p. 147 ; 

 Day, Fish. India, p. 338, pi. Ixxii, fig. 1 (see synon.). 



Cul, Mona aral, and Aral, Tarn. ; Bommiday, Telugu ; Theliya, 

 Singhalese (Tennant) ; Tou-rah, Assam. ; Bara gutti and Thuri, Ooriah ; 

 Nya mawaydoh nya, Burmese ; Sand and Spined Eels. 



D.I 6-20 | 44-54. P.23. A.2-3 | 44-52. C.15. Vert.23/40. C.p.2. 

 Length of head 5 to 6, height of body 8 to 10 in the total length. 

 Eyes 1 diameter apart. Snout with a trilobed extremity, the 

 inferior surface concave, transversely striated. Preopercle entire, 

 no preorbital spine. Fins first dorsal consisting of spines, which 

 increase in length behind ; caudal rounded. Second preaual spine 



Fig. 110. Ehynchobdella aculeata. 



longest and strongest. Air-bladder extends from head to anus. 

 Colour brownish or greenish, marbled superiorly, becoming yellow- 

 ish along abdomen ; a light band along body just above lateral line. 

 A series (sometimes wanting) of from three to nine large black 

 ocelli, having a white or buff edge, along base of soft dorsal. 

 Caudal with from six to eight vertical brown bars, fins otherwise 

 greyish. Pectoral sometimes yellow. The body has several longitu- 

 dinal bands in Sind examples. 



Ilab. Brackish waters within tidal influence, in deltas of large 



