BOTHIN.?i 



229 



examples) 3 or 4 irregular outer rows anteriorly in both jaws.* 6 or 7 short gill-rakers 

 on lower part of anterior arch. Scales ctenoid on ocular side, cycloid on blind side ; 

 87 to 95 in lateral line. Dorsal (90) 92-95. Anal 70-73. Pectoral of ocular side 

 with 9 or 10 rays, upper rays greatly prolonged in the mature male. Caudal pointed. 

 Greyish or brownish ; body co\'ered with rings formed of small sky-blue spots ; head 

 with similar spots, but no rings ; body with a few other darker markings and with a 

 large diffuse dusky blotch at junction of straight and curved parts of lateral line, 

 another, better defined, on middle of straight portion, and sometimes traces of a third 

 farther back ; median fins mottled and spotted ; pectoral with irregular dark cross- 

 bars. 



Fig. 173.— Bothiis nmnilif, 



M. (X.H.) 1924.7.22.82, 83. X |. 



Type. — Not traced. 

 Distribution. — West Indies. 

 Specimens Examined : 



I {98 mm.). 



1 (150,, ). 



2 (145, 200 mm.). 

 I (180 ram.). 



Curasao, \V. Indies. 



St. Croix. 



Tobago. 



Buccoo Reef, Tobago. 



Leiden Mu 

 Stevens. 

 Guppy. 

 Totton. 



.\lso 3 from Cura9ao (Leiden Mus.). 



Chabanaud places this species in a distinct genus, Symboiilichthys, distinguished 

 from Bothiis by the nature of the dentition. I find, however, that in several species 

 of Bothns the inner teeth tend to be directed somewhat inwards, and in large specimens 

 there may be more than one outer series, at least anteriorly. Comparing the dentition 

 of a specimen of Bothus maculiferus with that of an example of B. podas of similar 

 size, I feel certain that the two species are congeneric. 



6. BOTHUS ELLIPTICUS (Poey). 



Pleuronectes elliplicus, Poey, 1856-8, Mem. H. X. Cuba,ii, p. 315. 

 Rhomboidichthys dlipticus, Giinther, 1862, Cat. Fish., iv, p. 434 ; Poey 



Cuba,ii,p. 408 ; Poey, 1875, Anal. Soc. Espan. Hist. N'at., v, p. iSi. 

 Plaiophrys dUplUus, Jordan and Goss, 1889, Rep. U.S. Com. Fish., xiv, (1886), p, 



Evermann, l8gS, Bull. U.S. .\at. Mus., xlvii (3), p. 2665. 



^ See Chabanaud, 1927, p. 76, figs. 2, 3. 



86S, Repert. Fis.-Xat. 

 67 ; Jordan and 



