PLEURONECTIN^ 



Type. — Not traced. 



Distribution. — Coast of California, from Cape Mendocino to Magdalena Bay. 



Specimens Examined : 



Attains to a length of 18 inches and a weight of 4 pounds. 



Genus 13. PLEURONICHTHYS. 



Pleuronichthys, Girard, 1856, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philad., vii, (1854), p. 139 [Plcuronickthys 

 caenosus, Girard] ; Jordan and Evermann, 1898, Bull. U.S. Nat. Mus., xlvii (3), p. 2637 ; 

 Starks and Thompson, 1910, Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus., xxxviii, p. 277. 



Heteroprosopon, Bleeker, 1862, Versl. Akad. Wet. Amsterdam, xiii, p. 429 [Platessa cornuta, Tem- 

 minck and Schlegel]. 



Closely related to Hypsopsetta, but with a ver\' short, blunt snout, which is much 

 shorter than the eye ; eyes separated by a high, narrow, naked ridge, generally 

 provided with one or more blunt spines or bony prominences ; other prominences 

 may be present round the orbits and above the operculum. Lips thick, their inner 

 surfaces with a series of transverse plic^, inside which is a series of short fringes. 

 Lower phar\'ngeals each with one or two rows of slender, acute teeth. Dorsal fin 

 with the anterior rays twisted on to blind side of head, its origin well below level of 

 nostrils. Pehic fin of blind side inserted a little anterior to and farther from median 

 line than that of ocular side. Lateral line tubules not greatly branched. Intestine 

 long or of moderate length ; 2 or 3 + i pyloric appendages. Vertebrae 38 to 40 

 (13-14 + 25-26). 



Seven species from the North Pacific. 



Synopsis of the Species. 

 L Origin of dorsal a little below level of angle of mouth, 9 or more rays of fin 

 on blind side of head ; intestine of moderate length, not much coiled 



I. decurrens. 

 IL Origin of dorsal above level of angle of mouth, 5 or 6 rays of fin on bUnd 

 side of head. 



A. Body and fins generally uniformly covered with small brown spots ; 



intestine elongate, much coiled ; no teeth on ocular side of lower 



jaw ; 98 to no scales in lateral line [Asiatic species] . . 2. cornuhis. 



B. Body and fins not uniformly covered with brown spots ; intestine of 



moderate length or rather long, usually not much coiled [American 

 species] . 



1. Interorbital ridge high, sharply compressed, ending behind in a promi- 



nent, posteriorly-directed spine ; anterior bony prominence over- 

 hanging mouth ; no teeth on ocular side of lower jaw ; 88 to 96 

 scales in lateral line ....... 3. veriicalis. 



2. Interorbital ridge less high and sharp ; anterior bony prominence not 



overhanging mouth ; a row of minute teeth on ocular side of lower 

 jaw. 

 a. Less than 75 scales in lateral line ; posterior spine of interorbital 



ridge feebly developed or wanting ; colour dark . 4. nepkelus. 



