Travels in the Central Parts of Indo-China (Siam), Cambodia, and Laos (Vol. 2 of 2) / During the Years 1858, 1859, and 1860

by Henri Mouhot

By Dr. Albert Günther.

1. Toxotes microlepis.

D. 5/13. A. 3/17. L. lat. 42. L. transv. 6/14.

FRESH-WATER FISHES.

In the general habit and in all the generic characters the present species completely agrees with T. jaculator; the snout, however, is much shorter, its length being scarcely more than the diameter of the eye, and considerably less than the width between the orbits. The diameter of the eye is one-fourth of the length of the head. The length of the base of the anal equals exactly that of the dorsal. One of the largest scales covers two-thirds of the eye.

The colour may prove to be subject to as much variation as in the other species. The specimens described are yellowish, with greenish back and yellowish caudal. There is a series of four black blotches on each side: the anterior is the smallest, and situated on the upper extremity of the præoperculum; the third is the largest, and placed opposite the dorsal spines; a narrow blackish band round the base of the caudal; a round black spot on the posterior angle of the dorsal; the anal and the ventrals are black.

(Günth., Fishes, ii. p. 68.)

2. Eleotris siamensis.

D. 6 | 10. A. 9. L. lat. 90.

Twenty-two longitudinal series of scales between the origin of the posterior dorsal and the anal, forty transverse ones between the anterior dorsal and the snout. The height of the body is contained six times and two-thirds in the total length, the length of the head four times. Head broad, depressed, with the snout obtuse; the lower jaw is prominent, and the maxillary extends to behind the vertical from the centre of the eye. Teeth in villiform bands. The diameter of the eye is one-seventh of the length of the head, one-half of that of the snout, and of the width of the interorbital space. A small barbel on each side of the upper jaw; the head is covered with small scales; there are about ten between the posterior angle of the orbits; the snout is naked. Dorsal and anal fins much lower than the body: one-half of the caudal is covered with thin scales; its length is contained five times and a half in the total. Brown: the lower parts whitish, minutely punctulated with brown: two oblique dark stripes on the cheek, radiating from the eye. Dorsal fins variegated with blackish, the other fins uniform blackish; a black ocellus, edged with whitish, on the upper part of the root of the caudal fin.