-34 



FLATFISHES (HETEROSOMATA) 



Platophrv!. nwncus. Jordan and Snyder. 1004, Proc. U.S. Nat. .Mus., xxvii. p. 946. 



.' Pseuiiocttharuhthys aureus, W'eher, 1913, " Siboga "-Exped., Fische, p. 413. 



Holhiis panlhertnus. Regan, l9;!o, Ann. Durban Mus.. ii, p. 212, fig. 3 ; Barnard, lo^s, \un. S. Afr. 



Mu^.. xxi. p. 3,^5 ; N'ornian. locfi, Hiol. Res. " Endeavour", v, p. 252 ; Xornian, 1927, Rec. 



Ind. Mus.. xxix, p. 33 ; McCuIloch, 1929. .Mem. .\ust. Mus., v, p. 276. 

 ll.4hus {I'lalophrys) panlhermus, Weber and Beaufort, 1929, Fish. Indo-.\ustral. .\nh.. v. p. 123. 



Depth of body i§ to twice in the length, length of head 3J to 4 t'pper profile of 

 head convex, or with a .slight notch in front of lower eye. Diameter of eye 3J to 

 nearly 5 in length of head ; interorbital width equal to or a little less than diameter 

 of eye in the male, rather narrower in the female ; anterior edge of upper eye above, 

 or a little behind middle of lower ; male generally with a dermal tentacle on hinder 

 jxirt of each eye. Mature male with one or more irregular bony tubercles on the 



snout, in front of lower eye, and often one or two in front of upper eye ; except for 

 ,1 blunt knob on the snout, these are wanting m the female. .MaxiUan,- extending to 

 below anterior edge or anterior J of eye. length about 3 in that of head. About 6 to 8 

 \'ery short gill-rakers on lower part of anterior arch. Scales ctenoid on ocular side, 

 cycloid on blind side : 80 to 92 in lateral line. Dorsal 85-95. .\nal 1)4-71. Sectoral 

 of ocular side with 9 to 11 rays, upper rays greatly prolonged in the mature male, 

 sometimes reaching ba,se of caudal. Caudal obtusely pointed. Vertebrae 10 + 29. 

 Hrownish. covered with paler and darker spots, blotches, rings or ocelli ; generally 

 a large dark blotch on middle of straight portion of lateral line ; median fins similarly 

 coloured and marked ; pectoral spotted with brown, with or without irregular dark 

 cross-bars. 



Type. — Senckenberg Museum, Frankfurt a. Main. 



Distribution. — From East .\frica and the Ked Sea. tlimugh the Indi.in Ocean 

 and .\rchipelago, to -Australia and the I'acific. 



Specimens Exami.ned : 



Cuninghame. 

 .Marley. 

 Cutler. 

 Gerrard Coll. 



