On the Fishes of Cachar.

R.L. Playfair ; F.Z.S.

I have received from Major Stewart, Superintendent of Cachar, a small but interesting collection of the Fishes of that region. He informs me that they are from the rivers, lakes, and ponds; but he does not specify the particular specimens from each of these sources.

Cachar is one of the most eastern provinces of British India, and lies within the watershed of the Burhampooter; as might be expected, therefore, its fish-fauna is very similar to that of Assam. The collection contains about thirty species, twenty six of which I have determined; the remainder are Cyprinidae, either too small correct identification or apparently new; these I have made over to Dr. Günther, who is at present engaged on that family, which will form part of the seventh volume of his Catalogue of Fishes.

Ophiocephalus punctatus

Ophiocephalus punctatus, Bl. Schn. p.237; Cuv. & Val. vii. p.404; Günth. Fish. iii. p. 469.
O. lata, Buch. Ham. pp. 63, 367, t.34 f.18;
O. indicus; McClell. Calc. Journ. Nat. Hist. ii p.583

Ophiocephalus stewartii sp. n.

D. 39-40 A. 27 L. lat 50 L. transv. 5/9

Shields on the upper surface of the head large. Some larger teeth in the lower jaw, and on the vomer and patatine bones. The heught of the body is contained six times and thwo-thirds, and the length of the head four times in the total length. Scales on tehe cheeks very large, there being only seven int a longitudinal series between the eye and the gill-opening. The maxillary reaches beyond the vertical from the posterior margin of the orbit. The length of the snout is one-fifth, the width of the interorbital space is one-third, and the breadth of the head is three-fifths of the length of the head. The pectoral does not reach the anal, and is somewhat more than half the length of the head. The length of the ventrals is less than half that of the pectorals.

Colour brownish black above, lighter below; most of the scales behind the roots of the pectorals have a round black spot in the centre. In immature specimens, 5 inches long, these spots are not perceptible. Fins dark, immaculate. In young examples the pectorals have transverse darker cross bands. Length 9 3/4 inches.

first drawing of c. stewartii This is the first drawing of Channa stewartii published in 1867 by Playfair.

Acknowledgement and Source(s)

This text was originally published under the before title in: Proceedings of the Zoological Society London. Vol. 14, part I, pp.14-15 & plate III. January 1867.