324 



FISHERY BULLETIN OF THE FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE 



N., long. 74°17' W., 100 fathoms).— Peabson, U. S. Bur. 

 Fish. Invest. Rept. 1 (KM : 24, 1932 (an aoooiint of the 

 winter trawl fishery off Virginia and North Carolina ; 

 those obtained in X. C. most proljably contain an admix- 

 ture of P. lethostiffma) .—Norman. Monogr. Flattishes, p. 

 72, tig. 39, 19.34 ( Woods Hole, llass. ; Hampton Boads ; 

 Charleston Harbor, S. C. ; reviewed). 



PARALICHTHYS ALBIGUTTA 

 Sand Flounder 



(PLATE .13) 



Common vame.—Thifi species is most generally 

 termed "flounder"' by fisliermen and others without 

 any qualifyino: adjective, not being distinguished 

 from related flounders. However, some fisliermen 

 on the Gulf coast are able to distinguish this spe- 

 cies from P. lethostigma, the other common species 

 of the Southern States. When so distinguished 

 the term "sand flounder" is sometimes applied to 

 alhic/ntta and "mud flounder" to lethostigma. evi- 

 dently alluding, correctly, to the bottom on wliich 

 the bulk of each species, resjiectively, is taken. 

 This suggests an appropriate uniform common 

 name for tlie species. In this connection it is 

 also interesting to note that Smith (1907) gives 

 the names "mud flounder" and "sand floimder"' as 

 being used by the fishermen at Nortli Carolina for 

 P. dentatm. It seems jjossible that some fisher- 

 men at North Carolina also distinguish between 

 the species of Paralichthys under those names. 



Diagnosis. — Scales cycloid on both sides at all 

 ages; of medium size, 47 to GO. nearly all speci- 

 mens have 49 to 57, the apex of the curve at 52 

 and 53. Accessory scales present on both sides, 

 quite numerous in large fish, begiiniing to ajipear 

 in specimens of about 85 mm. Total number of 

 gill rakers on first arch ranging 11 to 15, 12 to 14 

 in the great majority of sjiecimens; 2 or 3, rarely 

 4, on upper limb; 9 to 12 on lower limb, 10 or 11 

 in the large majority of specimens. Anal rays 53 

 to 63; dorsal rays 71 to 85. Pectoral rays usually 

 11, sometimes 10 or 12 (11 on both sides in 10 

 specimens; 10 in 1 ; 10 on blind 11 on eyed side in 

 1 ; 10 on eyed side 11 on blind side in 1 ; 11 on blind 

 side 12 on eyed side in 3 ) . Origin of dorsal usually 

 somewhat in front of anterior margin of eye. over 

 anterior margin in young fish, at about 80 mm. 

 Posterior extremity of maxillary attains to a ver- 

 tical through posterior margin of pupil in speci- 

 mens tuider 75 mm., to the space beneath tlie jjos- 

 terior nuirgin of pui)il to posterior margin of eye 



in specimens up to 125 mm., usually to posterior 

 margin of eye in specimens up to 250 mm., usually 

 to somewhat liehind posterior margin of eye in 

 specimens over 300 mm., at any given size also 

 varying considerably with individual fish. Sinis- 

 tral. 



The depth, and the length of the head and maxil- 

 lary in this species is evidently subject to con- 

 siderable individual variability and it requires 

 the measurement of many specimens to definitely 

 establish the normal change of form with age. 

 Judging by the specimens measured (table 8. p. 

 279), it seems that unlike the condition in letho- 

 stigma fish under 50 mm. are relatively more 

 slender than somewjutt longer fish. The depth 

 increases with length in fish up to about 125 mm. 

 The tempo of increase in body-length is then 

 greatly accelerated, and fish between 125 and 200 

 mm. in length become gradually more slender. 

 Between 200 and 300 the depth again increases. 

 Finally, what seems to be unlike the change of 

 growth with size in most other species of the 

 gemis, fishes over 300 mm. again show a consider- 

 able decrease in relative depth of body. Compar- 

 ing albigutta with Jethostigma we have the sur- 

 prising fact that whereas fish under 200 mm. are 

 definitely deeper-bodied in the former species, 

 those over 300 mm. are markedly deeper in the 

 latter. 



CoJor. — The typical 5 longitudinal rows of spots 

 more or less evident, diffuse. Most prominent 

 spots on body, three in number, the prepeduncular 

 spot and two at anterior ends of the two inter- 

 mediate rows, forming the angles of an imaginary 

 scalene triangle; these three spots conspicuous and 

 ocellated in the great majority of individuals, 

 sometimes ratlier faint. Other spots on body 

 fainter and mostly not ocellated ; soiiietimes one or 

 more ocellated spots at jiosterior end of subdorsal 

 row. less frequently at posterior end of supra- 

 anal row. and rarely at middle of intermediate 

 rows. Body variously shaded with light and dark 

 hues. Frequently quite light and sometimes 

 notably dark, the ocellated character of the three 

 spots in such specimens sometimes faint, but these 

 spots nearly always ratlier more prominent than 

 the other blotches on the body. Individuals fre- 

 quently snowed over densely with white spots, 

 tending to disappear after death but frequently 

 persistent in preserved specimen. This species, 

 like dcntafus, is able to change the relative inten- 



