Jordan and Evermayin. — Fishes of North America. 2613 



than \ lengtli of head. Dorsal beginniug iuimediately iu front of pupil; 

 aual higher thau dorsal. Gill rakers short, slender, toothed, 9 below 

 angle, the longest about \ diameter of orbit. Pale olivaceous brown, 

 with dark points, forming edgings on each scale; bronze spots some- 

 times i)resent ; fins mostly dusky ; dorsal and aual edged anteriorly with 

 yellowish; vcntrals largely yellow. Lengtli 12 inches. North Pacific, iu 

 rather deep water; San Francisco to Puget Sound. This small llounder 

 is brought in in large quantities by the sweep nets off San Francisco. It 

 is of little value as a food-fish, {cxilis, slender.) 



Rippoglossoides exilis, Johdan & Gilbert, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus. 1880, 154, off San Fran- 

 cisco (Type, No. 27121. Coll. Jordan & Gilbert) ; Jordan & Gilbert, Proc. U. S. Nat. 

 Mus. 1880, 454 ; Jordan & Gilbert, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus. 1881, 67 ; Joedan &. Gilbert, 

 Synopsis, 827, 1883. 



Lyopsetta exilis, Jordan &. Goss, Eoview Flounders and Soles, 238, 1889. 



IQ17. EOPSETTA, Jordan & Goss. 

 Eoptetta, Jordan ct Goss, in Jordan, Cat. Pish. N. A., 135, 1885 (jordani). 



Teeth sharp, those of the lower jaw uniserial, the upper biserial; scales 

 small, ciliated, and adherent ; lateral line without accessory dorsal branch 

 and without distinct anterior arch; anal spine usually strong; body 

 normally dextral, robust, the flesh firm; dorsal fin beginning above eye; 

 vertebrie about 43. This genus contains but a single species, a large 

 flounder which is abundant on the coast of California. It is very close to 

 th.e gQmx& Hipimnlossoides. (ttac, morning; ip)JzTa, flounder.) 



2979. EOPSETTA JORDANI (Lockington). 



(California "Sole."') 



Head 3^ ; depth 2A. D. 94 ; A. 72 ; scales 96. Body broadly elliptical. 

 Dorsal and ventral outline equally and regularly curved. Mouth oblique, 

 the jaws about even, the symphyseal knob but little projecting; gape 

 curved; maxillary broad, reaching to behind pupil, 2f in head; teeth in 2 

 series in the upper jaw, the inner series small and distant from the outer, 

 which is considerably enlarged in front; lower jaw with a single series 

 similar to the outer series in the upper jaw, but larger. Gill rakers rough- 

 ish, strong, about 15 below angle, the longest about i as long as eye. 

 Lower pharyngeals rather narrow, each with a single row of sharp teeth. 

 Eyes large ; interorbital space a narrow, blunt, scaly ridge. Dorsal begin- 

 ning over anterior margin of pupil, the rays all simple; caudal fin with 

 the middle rays slightly produced ; aual preceded by a spine ; pectoral i 

 length of head. Scales of colored side small, firm, strongly ciliated, nearly 

 uniform over head and body; lower jaw and snout scaleless; scales on 

 blind side smooth. Olive brown, nearly uniform; membrane of dorsal 

 and anal fins clouded with darker. Length 20 inches. Pacific Coast of 

 the United States from Puget Sound to Point Concepcion. One of the 

 commonest flatfishes of the California coast, being found in abundance 

 in shallow water from Monterey northward. It is a good food-fish, and 

 large numbers are dried each year by the Chinese. (Named for David 

 Starr Jordan.) 



