310 



FISHERY BULLETIN OF THE FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE 



anil Magdalpna Bay, Lowor California). — Stabks, Cali- 

 fornia Fish anrt dame 4: 1(!!». fii:. SO, 191S.— Whitehead, 

 liull. Div. Fish Game California 15: 35, 1929 (gives figures 

 of commercial catch).— Clark, ibid., 20: 54, 1930 (qnan- 

 tity of commercial catch). — Clark, California Fish and 

 (lame 16: 315-317, 1930.— Walford, Bull., Div. Fish and 

 Game California 2S: 13S, fig. 113, 1931.— Clark, ibid.. 

 No. 32, 1931 (an account of the fishery). 



ParalirJifhus mafulosiit 1'lrey and Greeley, Bull. 

 South, California Acad. Sci. 28: 31, 1928 (Santa Monica 

 Bay, San Pedro Bay and Newport Bay, Calif.). 



ParnUclithys ralifoniiciiK Norman. Mono^r. Flatfishes, 

 p. 81, fig. 47. 1934 (San Francisco and San Diego, Calif.; 

 Magdalena Bay). 



PARALICHTHYS AESTUARIUS 

 Gulf flounder 



(PLATE 10) 



Common name. — Ajiiinrently this species has as 

 yet no cominoii name, and the term "gulf flounder" 

 is proposed as its uniform common name. This 

 name refers to its habitat, beinp: the most common 

 species of Paralichthys in the Gulf of California. 

 Diaffjiosis. — Scales ctenoid on eyed side in small 

 specimens, cycloid in large, the gradual change in 

 the character of the scales generally taking place 

 in fish between 150 and 200 mm. in round figures 

 (varies greatly with individual fish; one of the 

 "cotypes" in the National Museum. 220 mm., still 

 has a few weakly ctenoid scales under the bend in 

 the lateral line, and in another fish 193 mm., no 

 ctenoid scales could be found) ; scales on caudal 

 peduncle usually the first ones to change; cycloid 

 scales on blind side at all ages ; 64 to 79. Acces- 

 sory scales present, first beginning to appear in 

 specimens of 75 to 100 unn.. very numerous on 

 both sides in specimens 200 mm. or longer. Total 

 number of gill rakers 24 to 31, the greatest con- 

 centration of individuals at 27 or 28 ; 18 to 23 on 

 lower limb; 6 to 9 on upper limb, the mode at 8. 

 Anal rays 57 to 67 ; dorsal rays 75 to 85.' Pectoral 

 rays predominantly 12, sometimes 13 or 11 (12 on 

 both sides in 14 specimens, 13 in 2, 11 in 1, 12 on 

 eyed side, and 13 on the other in 1). Origin of 

 dorsal slightly behind anterior margin of eye in 1 

 specimen 78 mm. ; generally over anterior margin 

 of eye, sometimes slightly in front or somewhat 

 behind in specimens 81 to 220 mm., a little in front 

 of eye in 2 specimens 330 and 381 mm. Maxillary 



' One specimen from Gongago Bay has only 71 dorsal rays. 

 The dorsal fin of this specimen apparently has been injured to 

 its base, in part, and ip(;enerated. This count was, therefore, 

 neither Included in the diagnosis nor in table 6. 



extending backward to a vertical through posterior 

 margin of ]iupil in fish up to 80 or 1(W mm., 

 thi'ough hind margin of eye or slightly past in 

 specimens 200 nun. or longer. Depth medium. 

 Nearly as often dextral as sinistral in the speci- 

 mens examined (16 fish having the eyes on the 

 right side and 22 on the left) . 



Calor.—Jn small specimens the three spots 

 forming the large triangle are more or less ocel- 

 lated in those fish having the color preserved. 

 Other ocellated spots are frequently present, two 

 ocellated spots, one each in the upper and lower 

 intermediate rows, are often especially well 

 marked, on a vertical about two-thirds the distance 

 from the base to the apex of the large triangle; 

 these two spots forming a quadrangle with the two 

 anterior spots of the large triangle, and a triangle 

 witli the prepeduncular spot on the lateral line. 

 Often spots are present in which the center of the 

 ocellus is lacking, thus simulating "rings." The 

 larger specimens examined, those of 185 mm. or 

 longer, do not show any ocellated spots, but this 

 may be due to their long immersion in preserva- 

 tive. The cotypes show longitudinal rows of 

 white spots at the bases of dorsal and anal, and 

 are also more or less profusely snowed over with 

 smaller white spots. The other specimens exam- 

 ined do not show the white spots, but some have 

 longitudinal rows of dark spots at the bases of the 

 vertical fins in jilace of the white spots. 



Sprciinens examined. — Shoal Point, at mouth 

 of Colorado River, Albatross, 2 specimens, 193 and 

 220 mm. (48128. originally designated type), 3, 

 185-195 mm., same data (Stanford Univ. Zool. 

 Coll. 195) ; 2, 66 and 76 mm., same locality, March 

 28, 1889. Gulf of California, Alhatross; lat. 

 30°36'30" N. long. 114°27'45" W., Mar. 27, ISSi), 

 24 fathoms, 1, 381 mm. (47280) ; lat. 30°58'3()" N. 

 long. 113°17'15" W., Mar. 24, 1889, 11 fathoms, 

 1, 330 mm. (47281); lat. 31°17'30" N. long. 

 113°57'15" W-., Mar. 25, 1889, 10 fathoms, 1, 203 

 mm. (47284). The following specimens obtained 

 by the Pawnee of the Bingham Oceanographic 

 Foundation in 1926: San Felipe Bay. May 19, 3, 

 101-159 mm.; Gongago Bay, May 18, 9, 66-113 

 mm., and May 17, 10, 68-148 mm. ; Angeles Bay, 

 May 11, 1, 37 mm.; San Francisquito Bay. May 9. 

 3, 110-154 mm.; Conception Bay, May 1, 1, 81 

 mm., and INIay 2, .1, 80 mm. Total number of 

 specimens studied 38, ranging 37 to 381 mm. 



