312 FLATKISHES (HETHKOSOMATA) 



I VERASPEK VARIEGATUS (Temminck and Schlegel). 



Platesid varit-i^ata, Temminck and Schlegel, 1846, in Siebold, F. Japon. (Pisces), p. 170, pi. xc. 

 Pliuronecles taritealui, Giinther, 1862, Cat. Fish., iv, p. 453 ; Otaki, 1897, Journ. Fish. Bur. Tokyo, 



vi(i), p. 7. pl. vii, fig. 9. 

 VeraspCT varifgalus, Jordan and Snyder, 1901, Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus., xxiii, p. 378 ; Jordan and 



Starks, 1906, Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus., xxxi, p. 184 : Jordan, Tanaka and Snyder, 191 3, J. Coll. 



Sci. Tokyo, xxxiii (l), p. 318; Jordan and Hubbs, 1925, Mem. Carnegie Mus., x, p. 297; 



Soldatov'and Undberg, 1030, Bull. Pac. Sci. Fish. Inst., v. p. 3.);: ; Schmidt, I93". C.R. Acad. 



Sci. Russ., p. 315. 



Depth of body 2 to jj in the leiiKth. length of head 35 to 35. Snout as lonf; as 

 or a little longer than eye, diameter of which is 4 J to 6 J in length of head and more 

 than twice the mterorbital width ; lower eye scarcely in advance of upper. Maxillary 

 extending to below middle of eye or not quite as far, length 3 to 3 J in that of head ; 

 lower jaw a little projecting, 2 to 2j in head. or 7 gill-rakers on lower part of anterior 

 arch. Scales all ctenoid on ocular side ; on blind side the scales are mostly cycloid 

 in young specimens, except tho.se in an area along middle of anterior part of body, 

 where each scale has a few spinules ; in adults the area of ctenoid scales is more 

 extensive, and in some large specimens all the scales of the blind side have one or 

 more spinules : 78 to 90 scales in lateral line, 30 to 36 between lateral line and middle 

 of back I^ateral line with a low curve above pectoral fin, its height 35 to 4 in its 

 width. Dorsal 77-87. Anal 57-68. Pectoral of ocular side with 10 to 12 rays 

 (8 or 9 branched), length 2 to 2J in that of head. Caudal with 18 to 21 rays (14 or 

 15 branched), rounded ; caudal peduncle twice or more then twice as deep as long. 

 Dark brownish, uniform or variegated with paler areas, of which the most conspicuous 

 are a large patch behind the head and a series of 3 or 4 patches at upper and lower 

 edges of body ; in variegated examples the scales are all edged with dark brown . 

 dorsal and anal fins each with 4 or 5 large, rounded, black or dark brown spots placed 

 near the ba.ses of the fins ; generally some smaller and less distinct spots on the caudal . 

 blind side often with small .scattered brown spots ; the large, rounded spots on the 

 fins are much darker than on the ocular side : tip of caudal dusk\' 



Type — Leiden Museum. 



DiSTRiBiTION. — Seas of southern Japan and northern China, southwards to 

 Matsushima I?ay and Chefoo 



