This sketch of a catfish probably neosilurus hyrtlii was Becker’s last drawing done at Poria Creek, in North Western Queensland. He died a little over a month later on the 28 April 1861.

Further Information

Color: white, silvery on the sides; greenish, top of head and back with many minute black spots. Eyes white. Upper-lip has two large cirri. The under-lip has four cirri. Each nostril has one filament and a perforation in front of it. Teeth: very minute; in the upper jaw forming two cucheons at the point of jaw and one at the palate; the lower jaw contains only two cucheons, situated in front of it. Tongue thick & short. No scales. Fins: dorsal: 6, the first spiny and serrated. Pectoral: 11; the first also spiny & serrated. Ventral: 11, all soft. Anal & Caudal, about 96, all soft.—The specimen was caught with a hook by Mr Hodginson March 22 in the [Blank] Creek. Fins and cirri at the head light pink color so have the other fins a reddish tint; head opalascing.

Camp at the [blank] Creek Mrch 23 .1861

Ludwig Becker.