522 



BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF FISHERIES 



Color. — Light brown. 



General range. — Outer part of the continental shelf and upper part of the 

 continental slope off eastern North America in depths of 56 to 179 fathoms. 



Occurrence in the Gulf of Maine. — Several specimens have been trawled on the 

 slope off Nantucket Shoals in 53 to 134 fathoms, and on February 22, 1920, 95 the 

 Albatross took one in a tow net over the southeastern part of Georges Bank from 

 about 82 fathoms (150 meters). 



Habits. — Nothing is known of the habits of this little flatfish except that it is 

 restricted to deep water and that ripe females have been found in September 

 Goode and Bean (1896, p. 442) give a list of the records of capture. 



177. Hogchoker (Achirus fasciatus Lacepede) 



American Sole 

 Jordan and Everrnann, 1896-1900, p. 2700. 



Fig. 272. — Hogchoker (Achirus fasciatus) 



Description. — This fish is the closest relative of the famous European sole in 

 northeastern American waters. It is right-handed and small-mouthed and can be 

 told at a glance from all other Gulf of Maine flatfishes by the fact that it has no 

 pectoral fin on either side. Its mouth gapes horizontally (that is, along the general 

 fore-and-aft line as this fish lies) with the upper jaw projecting beyond the lower, 

 whereas in all other local flounders the gape is oblique and it is the lower jaw that 

 projects. Furthermore the rounded outline of the head and the lack of a definite 

 snout gives it an aspect very different from that of any other Gulf of Maine flatfish. 

 Equally diagnostic among right-handed species is the fact that the right ventral fin 

 is continuous with the anal, that its long fins are highest toward their rear ends, that 



» Station 20045. 



