PLEURONECTID^E. 11 



Genus III Rhombus, Cuvier. 



Scopjlrfhalmus and Bothus, Rafinesque. Psetta, Swainson. 



Branchiostegals seven : pseudobranchim present. Eyes on the leftside. Cleft of 

 month deep. Teeth in a narrow band without canines in the jaws, present on the 

 vomer. Dorsal fin commences on the snout, most of its rays and those of the anal 

 branched. Gtill 'membranes but slightly united at the throat. Gill-ralcers long and 

 lanceolate. Scales, when present, small. 



The turbot was formerly preserved by the Romans in salt water ponds, so as 

 to be readily available for the market. The largest appear to have been preferred, 

 and it has been asserted that the Emperor Domitian convened the seriate as to 

 how a mighty fish of this kind should be cooked. Respecting the food of 

 the turbot and flat-fishes generally, it is often difficult to institute investiga- 

 tions, as they are mostly at once disembowelled by fishermen when captured, 

 because after death decomposition rapidly attacks their intestines, and injures the 

 fish in a very few hours. By Act i, c. 28, of George I, a turbot under 16 in. long, 

 brill under 14, codling 12, whiting 6, bass and mullet 12, sole 8, plaice or dab 6, 

 and flounder 7 in. long, were forbidden to be sold. 



Geographical distribution. North Atlantic, German Ocean, Mediterranean, 

 and Adriatic to the Black Sea. 



Synopsis of Species. 



1. Rhombus maximus, D. 61-72, A. 45-56. No scales but tubercles. 



2. Rhombus laivis, D. 82-85, A. 60-63, scaled. 



3. Rhombus megastoma, D. 85-87, A. 67-69, scaled. 



1. Rhombus maximus, Plate XCVI. 



VrjTra, Arist. iv, c. 11, v, c. 9, ix, c. 37; .^Elian, iv, c. 3; Oppian, i, p. 5. 



Rhombus, Pliny, ix, c. 15, 20, 42 ; Belon. De Aquat. p. 139 ; Klein, Pise. Miss, 

 iv, p. 35, t. viii, f. 2. Rhombus aculeatics, Rondel, xi, c. 2, p. 310 ; Gesner, Aquat. 

 iv, pp. 661, 670 ; Schonev. Ich. p. 60 ; Aldrov. ii, c. 48, p. 248 ; Jonston, i, c. 3, 

 art. 2, punct. 2, p. 66, t. xxii, f. 12 ; Willughby, p. 93, t. F 8, f . 3 ; Ray, Syn. 

 p. 32 ; Klein, Miss, iv, p. 34, no. 1, t. viii, f. 1 and t. ix, f. 1. Rhombus maximus, 

 Will. p. 94, t. F 2 ; Ray, p. 31 ; Rutty, Co. Dublin, i, p. 350 ; Pleuronectes, sp. 

 Artedi, Syn. p. 32, no. 7, Gen. p. 18, no. 9 ; Gronov. Zooph. no. 254, and Mus. ii, 

 p. 10, no. 159. Turbot, Pennant, Brit. Zool. (ed. 1776) iii, p. 233 (ed. 1812) iii, 

 p. 315, pi. xlix ; Duhamel, Peches, iii, sect. 9, p. 261, pi. iii ; Low, Fauna Oread, 

 p. 214. 



Pleuronectes maximus, Linn. Syst. Nat. i, p. 459 ; Briinn. Ich. Mass. p. 35 ; 

 Bloch, t. xlix ; Bl. Schn. p. 153 ; Gmel. Linn. p. 1236 ; Bonn. Ency. Ich. p. 77, 

 pi. xlii, f. 163 ; Quensel, Vet. Akad. Handl. 1806, p. 203 ; Risso, Ich. Nice, p. 314 ; 

 Faber, Isis, 1828, p. 892 ; Donovan, Brit. Fish, ii, pi. xlvi ; Ekst. Vet. Akad. 

 Handl. 1834, p. 56 and Fische Morko, p. 250 ; Flem. Brit. An. p. 196 ; Jenyns, 

 Man. p. 461 ; Templeton, Mag. Nat. Hist. 1837 (2) i, p. 411 ; Johnston, Berwick. 

 Nat. Field Club, 1838, i, p. 174; Thompson, Nat. Hist. Ireland, iv, p. 200; 

 Schlegel, Dieren Neder. p. 162, pi. xv, f. 2. 



Pleuronectes turbot, Lacep. iv, p. 645. 



Pleuronectes tuber culatus, Shaw, Zool. iv, p. 312, pi. xlv ; Turton, p. 97. 



Bothus imperialis, Raf. Caratt, p. 23. 



Scophthalmus maximus, Raff. Indice, p. 14. 



Rhombus maximus, Cuv. Regne Anim. ; Risso, Eur. Merid. iii, p. 250 ; 

 Yarrell, Brit, Fish. (Ed. 1) ii, p. 233, c. fig. (Ed. 2) ii, p. 324 (Ed. 3) i, p. 634; 

 Parnell, Wern. Mem. vii, p. 373 and Fish. Firth of Forth, p. 213 ; Bonap. Fauna 



