2690 Bulletin ^7, United States National Museum. 



side spotted. Tropical America on both coasts, north to Cerros Island 

 and North Carolina, south to Panama and Rio Janeiro; the type a single 

 specimen, about 5 inches lony, taken with a seine in the Astillero at 

 Mazatlan. This little tish seems to be abundant in all warm and sandy 

 shores of tropical America. It is the smallest and feeblest of all our 

 flounders, and has therefore been generally overlooked by collectors. In 

 the Museum of Comparative Zoology are specimens of this species from 

 Rio Janeiro, Santos, Victoria, Para, and Sambaia, in Brazil. The largest 

 of these is 6 inches in length. Head 5 in length ; depth 1-fV; scales 44; 

 D. 85; A. 67. We have specimens from Charleston, Cedar Keys, New 

 Orleans, Galveston, Beaufort, North Carolina, Mazatlan, Panama, and 

 from several localities ahmg both sidps of the coast of Lower California. 

 These vary in form, color, and scjuamation, but we are unable to point ont 

 specific distinctions among them. {hpu66qot6s, fringed, from the cirri of 

 the subopercle.) 



Etropus erossotus, Jordan & Gilbert, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mas. 1881, 364, Mazatlan; Jordan 

 & Gilbert, Proc. U. S.Xat.Mus. 1882, 305; Jordan &. Gilbert, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mas. 

 1882, 618 ; Jordan & Gilbert, Bull. U. S. Fish Coniiii. 1882, 108-111 ; Jordan & Gilbert, 

 Synopsis, 839, 1883; Bean, Cat. Fish. Intern. Exli. 1883, 44; Jordan & Swain, Proc. 

 U. S. Nat. Mus. 1884, 234 ; Jordan >S: Goss, Keview Flounders and Soles, 278, 1889. 



Etropus inicrostomiis, Jordan, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus. 1886, 29 ; not (Jitharichthys micros- 

 tomus, Gill. 



1053. MONOLENE, Goode. 



Monolene, Goode, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus. 1880, 338 (sessilicauda). 



Thyris, Goode, Proc. U. S. Nat. AIus. 1880, 344 {pellucidns ,- larval form) ; name preoccni)ied. 



Delothyris, GoODE, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus. 1883, 110 (jjelhicidus) ; substitute for Thyris. 



Body thin, elongate ; eyes on the left side, very close together, near the 

 profile; mouth moderate, the length of the maxillary less than |^ that 

 of the head ; teeth minute, in a single series, nearly equal on both sides ; 

 no teeth on vomer or palatines. Scales rather large, ctenoid on colored 

 side, cycloid on blind side. Lateral line well marked, that of colored side 

 strongly and angularly curved anteriorly, that of l>liu<l side nearly straight. 

 Pectoral of blind side wholly absent; dorsal beginning on the snout, its 

 rays all simple. Caudal fin sessile, almost continent with dorsal and anal. 

 Ventral lins normal, that of the left side on the ridge of the abdomen; 

 gill rakers few, feeble. Vertebra* 43. Deep-sea fishes, closely allied to 

 Trichopsetta and ArnogJossus, but with the right pectoral obsolete. The 

 translucent larva of Monolene is similar to the larva of PJatophrys. It was 

 at first described as a distinct genus {Thyris ^Delothyris) by Dr. Goode 

 before its true character was recognized. The following are the characters 

 ascribed to the larval genus Delothyris :'" 



* The following are the characters of the species, Delothyris pellveidu.f, Goode: 

 Colorless, translucent; 3 coiis]>icuou8, dusky, longitudinal lines on lift side, the middle 

 one faintest. Two streaks on right side; eyes black. Body thin, ]>illu(id, divided into 

 3 longitudinal tracks by depressions at the liase.? of the rows of iuterspinous processes. 

 Scales small, thin, caducous. Head very small; eyes small, protruding, their diameter 

 equal to the interorbital space and \ the length of the snout; mouth small, formed as in 

 the soles, the upper jaw somewhat hook-shapoil. Dorsal tin beginning in advance of the 

 eye, of long, flexible, simple rays, tin- tii)sot which are much exserted. Pectorals inserted 

 far below lateral line, that on blind sidi- as lona as orbit, the other as long as snout; vent- 

 rals reaching past front of anal Head 5; deptli 3. 1). 100; A. 80; P. 12 (left), 4 (right). 

 Length 3 inches. (Goode.) Gulf Stream, otl' the coast of Khode Island. 



