424 PLETTRONECTID^E. 



commences on the snout ; dorsal and anal rays simple. Scales small 

 or rather small ; lateral line Avith a strong curve anteriorly. Eyes 

 on the left side; interorbital space not concave. GiU-membranes 

 united below the throat, not attached to the isthmus ; giU-rakers 

 lanceolate. 



From the eastern coasts of Africa to the Pacific coasts of Central 

 and South America. New York. Brazil. 



1. Pseudorhombus russellii. 



Platessa russellii, Gray, III. hid. Zool. pi. — . fig. 2 (too much elon- 

 gate) ; Cant. Catal. 3Ial. Fish. p. 214. 



Rhombus lentiginosiis, Richards. Ann. S( Mag. Nat. Hist. xi. 184.3, 

 p. 495 ; Bleek. Verhaiid. Batav. Genootsch. xxiv. Pleuron. p. 15. 



Platessa chrysoptera, Richards. Ichth. Chin. p. 278. 



balteata, Richards. I. c. 



? Rhombus polyspilos, Bleek. Batav. p. 503. 



Rhombus oligodon, Bleek. Verhand. Batav. Genootsch. xxvi. Niemoe 

 Nalez. Sfc. p. 121 ; Natuurk. Tydschr. Nederl. Ind.yi. p. 419; Act.Soc. 

 Sc. Indu-Kederl. v. Japan, v. tab. 3. fig. 2. 



B. 7. D. 70-77. A. 56-60. L. lat. 75. 



The dorsal commences in front of the eye. Extremity of maxUlary 

 scaly. The height of the body is one-half, or rather less than one- 

 half, of the total length (without caudal), the length of the head two- 

 sevenths. The greatest depth between the anal fin and the straight 

 portion of the lateral line equals the length of the head. Scales 

 ciliated, those on the cheek and on the anterior part of the body 

 smaller than those on the tail, which are of moderate size ; inter- 

 orbital ridge very narrow and naked ; no spines or tubercles along 

 the lateral line or the base of the fins. Lateral line with a semi- 

 circular cuiTC above the pectoral. Snout a Uttlo longer than the 

 orbit, the diameter of which is one-fifth or one-sixth of the length 

 of the head. Lower jaw prominent ; the length of the raaxiUaiy is 

 two-fifths of that of the head. Teeth conical, pointed : upper jaw 

 with two or three pairs of stronger ones in front, and with a series 

 of very small ones laterally ; lower jaw with about five strong, widely- 

 set teeth on each side. Front margins of the orbits nearly on the 

 same level. Each fin-ray is accompanied by a series of smaR smooth 

 scales, and the anterior rays of the dorsal and anal have their tips 

 prolonged beyond the membrane ; the distance of the dorsal from 

 the caudal is only one-third of the depth of the free portion of the 

 tail ; the longest dorsal rays are in the posterior third of the fin, 

 their length being two-fifths of tliat of the head ; the pectoral is not 

 quite twice as long as the ventral, and two-thirds as long as the head. 

 GUI-rakers compressed, lanceolate, at moderate distance from one 

 another, half as long as the orbit. YeUowish-broAAni ; sometimes with 

 two or three dark spots on the lateral line. 



From the east coast of Africa to Australia. 



a. Adult : skin. Umbilo River (Port Natal), within five miles of the 

 mouth. 



