128 Dircclor^ s Annual Report. 



Family PI^BURONBCTID^.— Flounders. 



Genus PI^ATOPHRYS vSwainson. 

 273-74. Platophrys pavo Quoy & Gaim. Tampat. 



Head 3.66; depth 2; eye 6.50; interorbital 3, concave ; D. 95; 

 A. 73. Scales 94, the lateral line curved. Maxillary 2.66, the 

 posterior end being on a line with anterior margin of eye. Mandi- 

 ble 2 into head. The posterior two-thirds of the interorbital space 

 is scaly. The cleft of the mouth is of moderate width. The teeth 

 are small, in a single series in each jaw. The whole of the lower 

 eye is anterior of the upper. Body elliptical, ovate, strongly com- 

 pressed. Anterior profile slightly concave, the snout projedling 

 (more noticeable in old than in young specimens) . Lower jaw with 

 a well developed knob at symphysis. Anterior end of maxillary 

 with a small blunt spine. The elevated orbital rims are smooth. 

 Gill-rakers moderate, their length equal to diameter of pupil — 10 on 

 lower limb, none on upper. Scales ctenoid. All the fins except 

 pectorals more or less scaled. Fins: The caudal is rounded. The 

 base of the ventral of the colored side is 3 into head, the base of 

 the ventral on the white side being only one-half as long. The 

 dorsal begins on the snout in front of the eye; the longest ra}- is 

 2 into head. The upper ra\ s of the colored peclorals are elongated 

 and filiform. The longest ray of anal is about 2 into head. 

 Color in spirits: A mottled yellowish brown, covered everywhere 

 with numerous ocelli of various sizes, those on middle of sides 

 largest, being equal to longitudinal diameter of orbit; these ocelli 

 usually have a minute brown dot in the middle on a small whitish 

 zone, surrounding which is a blue ring with brown margins, the 

 blue zone making up the largest part of the ocellus. There are 

 three large dusky blotches on the lateral line. The dorsal and anal 

 fins are slightl}' darker in color, the anal with six small dark 

 blotches along its inner half; the dorsal with about eleven of these 

 dusky splotches ; otherwise these fins are mottled with bluish, 

 brown, and whitish spots. Colored peroral with a dusky blotch 

 near its centre. Four specimens, length 1-9 inches. Guam, June 

 2, 1900. Hab. China, Kokas Islands, New Hebrides, Marianas. 



