London, das Präparat des mir im März 1907 eingegangenen Weibchens unter Beifugung des Aquarells von M und F dieser Fundulus-Art, und bat um Bestimmung. Darauf wurde mir der Bescheid, dass es sich um eine grosse Form von Fundulus gularis handaele. Die Beschreibung des Fisches durch G. A. Boulenger in Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London 1901, P 623, lasse ich nachstehend in Uebersetzung folgen: (German version skipped in favor of Original English description) So war also dieser Fundulus wissenschaftkich bestimmt! Wie bereits erwahnt, stimmt die Beschreibung der Farbung und der Flossen des Mannchens mit meinen lebenden Exemplaren nicht uberein. Wie aus der Grossenangabe (63mm) hervorgeht, haben Boulenger nur junge noch unentwickelte Exemplare zur Verfugung gestanden, bei denen die ursprungliche Farbung durch die Konversierungsflussigkeit gelitten hat, oder die Farbung dieser Art ist variabel.

Der Unterschied der beiden Geschlechter geht aus der Farbentafel (in Nr. 35) genau hervor, so dassich darauf nicht weiter einzugehen brauche. Bei meinem Parchen ist das Weibchen auch heute noch kleiner als das Mannchen, und kann ich, da ich grossere ausgewachsene Weibchen als das meinige noch nicht gesehen habe, nicht sagen, ob das Weibchen die Grosse des Mannchens erreicht.

Was nun die Farbung des Mannchens abelangt, so muss ich, obgleich die Farbentafel das Tierchen in naturlichen Farben wiedergibt, auf diesen Punkt doch noch erwas naher eingehen, damit mir spater nicht Ungenauigkeit zum Vorwurf gemacht werden kann. Mein Mannchen von dem blauen Fundulus gularis erscheint namlich, je nachdem das Licht von vorn, von der Seite oder von hinten auf dasselbe fallt und je nach dem Gesichtswinkel, unter dem man es betrachtet, so verschieden gefarbt, dass es sehr viel Zeit erforderte, wollte man seine Farbung in jeder Stellung genau beschreiben. Das Aquarium mit den Fundulus gularis steht direkt an einem nach Sudwesten gelgenen Fenster; die dem Fenster zugekehrte Scheibe ist mit einem dicken Algenbelag bedeckt, wordurch eine abdunklung gegen die Sonnenstrahlen unnotig wird; das Becken ist mit Ludwigia mulerti dicht bepflanzt, der Boden ist mit einer dunnen

London, the specimen of the female received by me in March 1907, enclosing the watercolor of M and F of this Fundulus species, and asked for identification. Thereupon I received the notice that it is a large form of Fundulus gularis. The description of the fish by G. A. Boulenger in Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London 1901, P 623, I let follow below in translation:

    "Proceedings of the London Zoological Society 1901, P623; Plate 37, Figs. 2 and 3.

    7. Descriptions of two new Fishes discovered by Dr. W. J. Ansorge in Southern Nigeria.
    By Gr. A. Boulenger, F.R.S.

    [Received November 15, 190].]

    Fundulus gularis (Plate XXXYII. figs. 2 & 3.)

    Depth of body equal to, or a little less than, length of head, 3 1/2 to 4 times in total length. Snout as long as eye; lower jaw but feebly projecting beyond the upper; diameter of eye 3 3/4 to 4 times in length of head, twice in interorbital width. Dorsal 15-16, originating at nearly equal distance from the head and from the base of the caudal, longest rays about 2/3 length of head in females, 2/3 to 3/4 in males. Anal 16-18, opposed to dorsal, the rays about as long as those of the latter. Pectoral nearly 3/4 length of head, in males reaching beyond base of ventral, latter very small, with 6 rays. Caudal rounded, 3/4 or 4/5 length of head; one of the upper rays may be produced in the males. Caudal peduncle a little longer than deep. 30 or 31 scales in a longitudinal series, 12 or 13 in a transverse series; a series of pits represents the lateral line. Pale olive-brown above, white below; females uniform, or with a few reddish-brown dots on the dorsal and on the base of the anal. Males with a purple band on each side of the head, passing round to the other side over the lower jaw, and a median band of the same colour behind the chin, on the branchiostegal membrane; small carmine-red spots or vermiculations on the side of the head behind the eye, and often small spots of the same colour on the body; a streak or a series, of spots of crimson along the dorsal and anal and usually two, converging behind, on the caudal, the latter fin being grey between the streaks and pure white outside them; lower border of pectoral sometimes crimson.

    Total length 63 millim. No difference in size between the sexes.

    Numerous specimens were obtained in September 1901 at Agberi in shallow creeks and flooded yam-plantations.

    This species is most nearly related to F. sjoestcdti Lonnberg, from Camaroon, which has 17 or 18 rays to the dorsal fin, 35 scales, in the lateral line, and the posterior dorsal and anal rays much produced and filamentous in the males. The rudimentary pseudobranchiae, which exist in the East-African F. orthonotus Peters and F. guentheri Pfeff., and on which Peters's genus Nothobranchius is founded, are not to be found in F. gularis.

    EXPLANATION OF PLATE XXXVII.

    Fig. 1 Phractura ansorgii, with enlarged upper view of head, p. 623.
    2. Fundulus gularis, male, with enlarged lower view of head, p. 623.
    3. Ditto, female."


So this fundulus was scientifically determined! As already mentioned, the description the description of the coloration and the fins of the male does not agree with my living specimens. do not agree. As you can see from the size (63mm), Boulenger have available only young specimens still undeveloped specimens were available to Boulenger in which the original coloration was lost due to the suffered due to the conversion fluency, or the coloration of this species is variable.

The difference of the two sexes can be seen exactly from the color chart (in No. 35), so that it is not necessary to go further need. With my pair the female even today smaller than the male, and I can since I have larger adult females than mine have not yet seen, not say whether the female reaches the size of the male.

What now concerns the coloration of the male, so I must, although the color chart the animal in natural colors reproduces, on this point but still go into more detail, so that I am not later inaccuracy to the reproach can be made. My little man of the blue Fundulus gularis appears namely, depending on the light from the front, from the from the side or from behind on the same and depending on the angle of view, under which one it is viewed, so differently colored that it would require very much time would require, wanted one its coloration its coloration in every position. The aquarium with the Fundulus gularis stands directly at a window facing southwest; the pane facing the window is covered with is covered with a thick layer of algae, which makes a darkening against the sun's rays is not necessary. the basin is densely covered with Ludwigia mulerti. the bottom is covered with a dark