Fig. 275.—The Bream ( Abramis brama).
Abramis.—Body much compressed, elevated, or oblong. Scales of moderate size. Lateral line present, running in the lower half of the tail. Dorsal fin short, with spine, opposite to the space between ventrals and anals. Lower jaw generally shorter, and rarely longer than the upper. Both jaws with simple lips, the lower labial fold being interrupted at the symphysis of the mandible. Upper jaw protractile. Gill-rakers rather short; pseudobranchiæ. The attachment of the branchial membrane to the isthmus takes place at some distance behind the vertical from the orbit. Pharyngeal teeth in one or two series, with a notch near the extremity. Belly behind the ventrals compressed into an edge, the scales not extending across it.
The “Breams” are represented in the temperate parts of both northern hemispheres; in Europe there occur the “Common Bream,” A. brama; the “Zope,” A. ballerus; A. sapa; the “Zärthe,” A. vimba; A. elongatus; the “White Bream,” A. blicca; A. bipunctatus. Of these A. brama and A. blicca are British; the former being one of the most common fishes, and sometimes attaining to a length of two feet. Crosses between these two species, and even with other Cyprinoids, are not rare. Of the American species A. americanus (“Shiner,” “Bream”) is common and widely distributed; like the European Bream it lives chiefly in stagnant waters or streams with a slow current.
Aspius.—Body oblong; scales of moderate size; lateral line complete, terminating nearly in the middle of the depth of the tail. Dorsal fin short, without spine, opposite to the space between the ventrals and anal; anal fin elongate, with thirteen or more rays. Lower jaw more or less conspicuously projecting beyond the upper. Lips thin, simple, the lower labial fold being at the symphysis; upper jaw but little protractile. Gill-rakers short and widely set; pseudobranchiæ. The attachment of the branchial membrane to the isthmus takes place below the hind margin of the orbit. Pharyngeal teeth hooked, 5. 3.-3 or 2. 5 or 4. Belly behind the ventrals compressed, the scales covering the edge.
Four species from Eastern Europe to China.
Alburnus.—Body more or less elongate; scales of moderate size; lateral line present, running below the median line of the tail. Dorsal fin short, without spine, opposite to the space between ventrals and anal; anal fin elongate, with more than thirteen rays. Lower jaw more or less conspicuously projecting beyond the upper. Lips thin, simple, the lower labial fold being interrupted at the symphysis of the mandible. Upper jaw protractile. Gill-rakers slender, lanceolate, closely set; pseudobranchiæ. The attachment of the branchial membrane to the isthmus takes place below the hind margin of the orbit. Pharyngeal teeth in two series, hooked. Belly behind the ventrals compressed into an edge, the scales not extending across it.
“Bleak” are numerous in Europe and Western Asia, fifteen species being known. The common Bleak (A. alburnus) is found north of the Alps only, and represented by another species (A. alburnellus, “Alborella,” or “Avola”) in Italy.
Of the other genera referred to this group, Leucaspius and Pelecus belong to the European Fauna; Pelotrophus is East African; all the others occur in the East Indies or the temperate parts of Asia, viz. Rasborichthys, Elopichthys, Acanthobrama (Western Asia), Osteobrama, Chanodichthys, Hemiculter, Smiliogaster, Toxabramis, Culter, Eustira, Chela, Pseudolabuca, and Cachius.
XIII. Homalopterina.—Dorsal and anal fins short, the former opposite to ventrals. Pectoral and ventral fins horizontal, the former with the outer rays simple. Barbels six or none. Air-bladder absent. Pharyngeal teeth in a single series, from ten to sixteen in number.