6o FLATFISHES (Hl-nKKOSOMA'I'A) 



dorsal and anal fins with irregular darker markings, and with narrow pale margins 

 caudal with vertical rows of large dark spots, which tend to form irregular cross-bars 

 and with a narrow pale posterior margin. 



Type. — British Museum (Nat. Hist.).' Reg. No. 57.6.13.165. 



Distribution. — Tropical West Africa. 



Specimens E.xamined : 



Family 2. BOTHID.*;. 



Eyes on the left side, e.xcept in reversed examples in certain species; optic chiasma 

 monomorphic, the nerve of the right eye always dorsal. Dorsal fin extending forward 

 on the head at least to above the eye ; all the fin-rays articulated. Each pelvic fin 

 of 6 or fewer rays. Mouth terminal, with the lower jaw more or less prominent ; 

 maxillan,' without a supplemental bone ; palatines toothless. Lower edge of urohyal 

 deeply emarginate, so that the bone appears forked. Praeoperculum with free margin- 

 Nasal organ of blind .side near edge of head. Vertebrae never fewer than 30. On each 

 side one or two post-cleithra ; pectoral radials present. Ribs present. Egg with a 

 single oil-globule in the yolk. 



Three subfamilies may be recognised. 



Sy-N'opsis of the Subf.^milies. 

 I. Pelvic fins generally short-based, but that of ocular side, if somewhat 

 extended, never with the anterior ray much in advance of first ray of 

 that of blind side ; pelvic fins supported by the pelvic bones and 

 situated behind the cleithra, either symmetrical or with the fin of the 

 ocular side nearly median in position ; caudal vertebrae without 

 transverse apophyses . . . . . . i. I'.^ralichthin.'e. 



II- Pelvic fin of blind side short-based : that of ocular side elongate, extend- 

 ing forward to the urohyal, supported by a cartilaginous plate placed in 

 advance of the cleithra, its anterior ray well in advance of first ray of that 

 of blind side ; caudal vertebra' with well-developed apophyses 2. Bothin.Ii. 

 Ill- Both pelvic fins elongate, extending forward to the urohyal, supported by 

 cartilaginous plates placed in advance of the cleithra ; caudal vertebra? 

 with well-developed transverse apophyses ... 3- Scophth.ilmi.n.'e. 



The following genera described in Japanese- belong to this family, but as the 

 diagno.ses are very brief and no mention is made of the form of the pelvic fins, I am 

 unable to place them with certainty. Both are compared with Pseiidorhombiis. how- 

 ever, and may be related to that genus. 



.Asterorhombus, Tanaka, 1915, Dobuts. Zasshi (' Zoo). .Mag '), xxvii. No. 325, p. 

 507 — type A. stellifer, Tanaka. Based on a single example, no mm. in length 

 (without caudal), from Nagasaki Market. 



SciDORHOMBUS, Tanaka, 1915, /"'". cit. — type S. palhdus, Tanaka. Based on a 

 single example, 80 mm. in length (without caudal), from Nagasaki Market. 



' This specimen bears a label " Lophiupsetta erumci. Zoological Soc. Coll.", and a small ticket 

 on which IS the number " 547 ". There can be little doubt that this is Bennett's original specimen, 

 which formed part of a collection presented to the Zoological Society by Capt. Belcher, R.X. No 

 mention of the size of the specimen is made in the original description. 



= 1 .im indebted to Dr. Tanaka for Knglish transl.itu.ns of these diagnoses. 



