PEDICULATI. 843 



I3O1. A. plagiusa (L.) J. & G. 



Dark brown, with six or seven obscure darker cross-bands, and 

 numerous dark specks and mottliugs, forming indistinct stripes; fins 

 all speckled, the caudal not darker than the other fins. Teeth very 

 small, present on both sides of the jaw; eyes very small, close together, 

 the upper in advance, the lower just above angle of mouth. Ventral 

 fin moderately developed, barely reaching anal, to which it is connected 

 by a low membrane. Head 5; depth 3. D. 95; A. 80; Lat. 1. 93. 

 South Atlantic and Gulf coast to the West Indies; abundant in sandy 

 bays. 



(Pleuronectes plagiusa Linn. Syst. Nat. : Plagusia plagiiisa Gill, Ca,t. Fish. E. coast, 

 794 : Achirus ornatus Lac. iv, 659: Aphorialia ornata Gthr. iv, 490.) 



ORDER V. PEDICULATI. 



(The Pediculate Fishes.) 



Carpal bones notably elongate, forming a sort of arm, which sup- 

 ports the broad pectorals. Gill-openings reduced to a large or small 

 foramen, situated in or near the axils, more or less posterior to the 

 pectorals. No scales. Ventral fins jugular, if present; first vertebra? 

 united to the cranium by a suture; epiotics united behind supraocci- 

 pital; elongate basal pectoral radii reduced in number; no interclavi- 

 cles; posttemporal broad, flat, simple; superior pliaryugeals two, sim- 

 ilar, spatulate, with anterior stem and transverse blade; basis of 

 cranium simple. No air-duct to the swim-bladder. Anterior dorsal 

 reduced to a few tentacle-like, mostly isolated, spines. This group is 

 considered as a modified offshoot from Batraclioid or Blcnnloid forms. 

 (Latin pediculatus, provided with a little foot or peduncle, in allusion 

 to the peculiar pectoral fins.) 



(Pediculati Giintker, iii, 178-205.) 



ANALYSIS OF FAMILIES OF PEDICULATI. 







a. Gill-openings in or behind the lower axils of the pectorals; mouth large, terminal. 

 b. Pseudobrauchue present; pseudobrachia with two actiuosts; head broad, de- 

 pressed LOPHILD/E, 124. 



l>b. Pseudobranchite none ; pseiidobrachia with three actiuost.s. 

 c. Ventral lius developed; pectoral members geniculated, with elongate pseudo- 



brachia ANTEXNAKIID^E, 125 (). 



cc. Ventral fins obsolete ; pectoral members not geuiculate, with moderate 



psendobrachia CERATIID.E, 125 (b). 



aa. Gill-openings in or behind the upper axils; mouth small, usually interior. 



MALTUEID.E, 12G. 



