FLATFISH i:S (HETEROSOMATA) 



C-L-nus 39. PELOTRETIS. 



Tor. X.Z. Inse., : 

 ' Endeavour ", \ 



,Iiii,(ioio). Pr. 



) [Pclalnluflafdalus. WalU-] : 



Body ovate, compressed. Eyes on the right side, separated by a low, scaled 

 ridge, the upper touching edge of head ; snout not produced ; parts of snout scaled, 

 and a patch of small scales on upper surface of each eye-ball : nasal organ of blind 

 side nearly on edge of head ; olfacton,' laminae in moderate number, arranged trans- 

 versely to or radiating from a long central rachis. Mouth small, subsymmetrical ; 

 teeth small, movable, pointed, not enlarged anteriorly, in bands in the jaws of the 

 blind side ; vomer toothless, Gill-rakers short, few in number ; lower pharyngeals 

 narrow, evenly curved, approximated anteriorly, each with 3 irregular rows of conical 

 teeth ; branchial septum entire. Dorsal fin commencing just behind nostrils of blind 

 side and above anterior part of eye; most of the rays forked distally, scaled ; a low 

 scaled sheath covering basal part of fin on ocular side. Anal similar to dorsal ; tip 

 of first interhaemal spine not projecting in front of fin. Pectoral fins unequal, that 

 of ocular side larger ; middle rays branched. Both pelvic fins developed ; that of 

 ocular side elongate, with 7 widely spaced rays, united with anal ; that of blind side 

 with 5 or 6 rays, base very short. Caudal with the middle rays branched ; caudal 

 peduncle short. Scales of moderate size, adherent, imbricated, ctenoid. Lateral line 

 with a very slight curve above the pectoral fin ; no supratemporal branch. Vent 

 a little on blind side, just in front of anal fin ; intestine rather elongate. 



A single species from New Zealand. 



I. I'ELOTRETIS FLAVILATUS, Waite. 

 [" Lemon Sole ".] 



Pdolrelii flavilatus, Waite. lyii, Trans. Proc. N.Z. Inst., xliii, (1910), Proc, p. 50; Waitr, lyii, 

 Rec. Canterbury (N'.Z.) .Mus., i, p. 212. pi. xli ; Phillipps. 1921. N.Z. J. Sri. Tech., iv, p. 122 ; 

 Norman, 1926, Biol. Res. "Endeavour", v, p. 265; Phillipps, 102;, N.Z. Mar. Dept., Fish. 

 Bull., i, p. 29. 



Eggs, Larvae and Young. 



Thomson and Anderton, 1921. Bull. N.Z. Board Sci. Art, 11, p. S3, tigs. 



Fic. io^.—Pelotretis flavilttlii^. B.M. (N.H.) 1923. 11. 5. ^ 



