206G Bulletin ^7, United States National Museum. 



angle at istbmus, along ridge of body, slightly past front of anal; base of 

 ventral of blind side i the length of that of its mate; caudal with the 

 middle ray.s produced, double convex. Color dark olive, with many rings, 

 curved spots, and small round dots of sky blue edged with darker on body, 

 these largest near middle of sides, where some are as large as the eye; 3 

 obscure dark blotches on straight part of lateral line; head and vertical 

 tins with sharply defined blue spots, which are mostly round; spots on 

 opercles larger and curved ; pectorals with dark bars. West Indies, north 

 to Florida ; common. Here described from a specimen from Green Turtle 

 Cay, Florida, 14 inches in length. This handsome and curiously colored 

 species is not rare in the waters of the West Indies. The specimens 

 examined by us are from Cuba, Sombrero, St. Thomas, and other localities 

 in the West Indies. The original figure of this species published by 

 Catesby is a very good one and leaves no room for doubt as to the sj^ecies 

 intended. The figure of Bloch, called rieuronectcs argus, is also fairly 

 accurate, and can refer to no other species. This species reaches a length 

 of some 18 inches, and is the largest in size of the American species of 

 riatophrys. We have never seen any young examples which certainly 

 belong to it, and till its development is traced some of the species known 

 from small examples only must be doubtful, {htnahis, crescent-shaped, 

 fi"om the spots.) 



y^olea lunata et punctata (the Sole), Catesby, Nat. Hist. Carolina, tab. 27, 1725, Bahamas. 

 Plctironectes lunatus, Linn.5:us, Syst. Nat., Ed. x, 269, 1758, Bahamas; based on Catesby ; 



and of the various copjnsts. 

 Pleuronectes argus, Bloch, Ichthyol., tab. 48, 1783, Martinique; after Plumier. 

 1 Pleuronectes surinamensu, Bloch & ScHNEmEE, Syst. Icbth., 156, 1801, Surinam ; "■talis 



parva et glabra ;" fins scaly; mouth small; lateral lino arched in front; D.96; A. 55. 

 Ehomboidichthys lunatus, GiJNTHEE, Cat., iv, 433, 1862 ; PoKY, Synopsis, 408, 1868. 

 lihomboidichthys hmulatus, Poey, Enunieratio, 138, 1875. 



Platophrijs lunatus, Jordan, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus. 1886, 51 ; Jordan & Goss, Review Floun- 

 ders and Soles, 267, 1889. 



3036. PLATOPHRTS LEOPABDINUS (Giinther). 

 Head 3| in length; depth If; eye (lower) 3.V in head. D. 86 to 88; A. 

 64 (62 to 66) ; scales about 80. Mouth very small, the maxillary 3f in 

 head ; teeth very small, biserial above. Interorbital space concave, rather 

 broad, its width 3| in head. Eyes large, the lower considerably before 

 the upper. Lateral line with a short sharp curve anteriorly. Gill rakers 

 very small. Anterior rays of dorsal not elevated; left pectoral not pro- 

 duced, little longer than right, 1^ in head. Coloration highly variegated 

 with different shades of gray, the pale blotches rounded, very irregular 

 in size and position ; no distinct black spots along the lateral line; a large 

 whitish cloud l)etween the eyes; Idind side pale, scaled like the eyed 

 side. Gulf of California. This species is known only from the original 

 type from unknown locality, and from a single specimen, 2| inches long, 

 in the United States National Museum, taken by Mr. H. F. Emeric, at 

 Guaymas, Sinaloa. From this the above description was taken. {Icopai- 

 (linus, leopard-like.) 



Rhomhoidichthys Icopardinug, Gunther, Cat. Fish., iv, 434, 1862, locality unknown. 

 Platophrys leiqmrdinus, Jordan, Proc. V. S. Njit. Mus. 1884, 260, specimen from Guaymas ; 

 Jordan & Goss, Review of Flounders and Solos, 268, 1889. 



