494 



Suborder Heterosomata 



abundant. On the Pacific coast from Monterey to Alaska and 

 across to northern Japan it constitutes half the catch of 

 flounders. The body is covered with rough scattered scales, 

 the fins are barred with black. It reaches a weight of twenty 

 pounds. Living in shallow waters, it ascends all the larger 

 rivers. 



An allied species in Japan is Kareius bicoloratus, with scat- 

 tered scales. Clidoderma asperrimum, also of northern Japan, 

 has the body covered with series of warts. 



In deeper water are found the elongate forms known as 

 smear-dab and flukes. The smear-dab of Europe (Micro- 



FIG. 439. Eel-back Flounder, Liopsetta putnami (Gill). Salem, Mass. 



stomus kiti) is rather common in deep water. Its skin is very 

 slimy, but the flesh is excellent. The same is true of the 

 slippery sole, Microstomus pacificus, of California and Alaska, 

 and of othei species found in Japan. Glyptocephalus cyno- 

 glossus, the craig-fluke, or pole-flounder, of the North Atlantic, 

 is taken in great numbers in rather deep water on both coasts. 

 Its flesh is much like that of the sole. A similar species 

 (Glyptocephalus zachirus] with a very long pectoral on the 

 right scale is found in California, and Microstomus kitahara in 

 Japan. 



