Description of Clarias Nigeriae n. sp. from the Wari, Mouth of the Niger, West Africa

Depth of body 8 3/4 times in total length without caudal fin, length of head 5 3/16 times. Head 1 1/3 times as long as broad, granulated on the whole upperside; occipital process angular, pointed, as long as broad; frontal fontanelle nearly 3 times as long as broad, his fore edge in the same vertical line as the hindborder of the eyes; occipital fontanelle twice as long as broad, the upper half on the occipital process; eye 3 times in length of snout, 7 times in interorbital width, which equals nearly 1/2 length of head and 1 1/7 width, of mouthopening; band of praemaxillary teeth 5 times as long as broad, band of vomerine teeth smaller, 8 times as long as broad, both ends of the band of mandibular teeth suddenly much smaller, the bands of teeth curved, all the teeth conical little curved; gillrakers 11 on anterior arch; nasal barbel about 1/3 length of head; maxillary barbel 10/13 length of head, reaching a little beyond base of pectoral; outer mandibular nearly 2/3, inner mandibular 2/5 length of head. Dorsal fin 74 rays, its distance from occipital process 3/7 length of head, its distance from caudal fin 1 1/2 diameter of eye; anal fin 58 rays, nearly Clarias nigeriae n. sp. 1/3 diameter of eye separated from caudal fin; pectoral fin 1/2 length of head, the spine half the length of the fin, and rough on both sides; ventral fin 3/7 length of head, reaching analfin, and 1 2/3 times as distant from base of caudal as from end of snout; caudal fin 5/8 length of head. Dark brown, lighter on the underside. Length 372 mm. Clarias nigeriae is most related to Clarias poensis Blgr., from which