278 PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



It is, however, evident that there is no special afiQnity existing between 

 the present species and Parophrys vetulus, and no very close relation 

 between either and Lepidopsetta isolepis Lockington, which, by its tech- 

 nical characters, would be also a Parophrys. The nearest natural ally 

 of Parophrys ischyrus is perhaps Lepidopsetta hiUneata, and the present 

 arrangement is to be accepted only until the relations of these forms can 

 be more fully investigated. 



Hippoglossoides elassodon, sp. nov. 



Body oblong-elliptical, strongly compressed, the dorsal and ventral 

 outlines regularly and pretty strongly arched. Caudal peduncle mod- 

 erate, about as long as deep and growing wider behind. 



Head rather large, bluntish, its upper profile continuous with the 

 outline of the back. Depression over the eye slight. Mouth compara- 

 tively large, very oblique, the upper jaw somewhat concave in outline, 

 the lower correspondingly convex, the gape considerably wider on the 

 blind side than on the right side. Lower jaw rather strongly protruding, 

 with a considerable symphyseal knob. Maxillary rather narrow, reach- 

 ing to opposite the middle of the pupil or beyond, the maxillary on the 

 blind side much longer than the other. Premaxillary anteriorly on the 

 level of the interocular space. 



Upper jaw with a single series of small conical teeth, which are not 



very sharp. Tliese teeth are somewhat larger in front than on the sides, 



and also more widely set. Everywhere they are quite small, much 



smaller than in Hippoglossoides jordani^ and not larger than in H. exiUs. 



Lower jaw with a single series of rather close-set teeth similar to those 



in the upi)er jaw, or slightly larger ; those on the sides smaller than the 



35 -4- 45 

 anterior teeth. Number of teeth about _ "*" ^^. 



25-1- 35 



Eyes large, nearly even in front, the upper eye directed somewhat 

 upward, but not reaching the dorsal line. Interorbital space a narrow 

 sharp ridge, with about two rows of minute scales ; 10 to 15 rows of 

 scales in an oblique series on the cheeks. A series of mucous pores 

 around lower eye behind. Preorbital narrow. Anterior nostril Avith a 

 rather long flap, posterior with a slight tube 



Gill-rakers long, slender, and straight, 15 to 17 below the angle of the 

 ai'ch, their inner margins feebly dentate. Pyloric coeca 4. 



Scales small, firm, less readily deciduous even than in S.jordani, rough 

 to the touch, with the spinules short and firm. Scales on head similar, 

 but more imbedded, those on the tail larger and rougher 



Scales on blind side small, mostly smooth, except on the caudal pedun- 

 cle, where they are larger and rough ctenoid, like the scales on the right 

 side. The scales along the base of the dorsal and anal and those near 

 the lateral line more or less ctenoid. Scales along left side of head small, 

 non-imbricate, those on the preopercle and posterior part of the clieeks 

 becoming obsolete. The amount of roughness on the r>cales below is 

 subject to considerable variation. 



