113. PLEURONECTID^ PARALICHTHYS. 821 



evenly imbricated; lateral line very prominent. Dorsal fin beginning- 

 just behind the middle of the eye; caudal peduncle nearly as long as 

 the pectoral fin, about two-fifths the length of the head. Head 3f ; 

 depth 3^. D. 103; A. 8G; Lat. 1. 135. San Francisco to Alaska, in 

 deep water; reaching a length of 2 feet. 



{Platifsomaiiehthys slomias Jordan & Gilbert, Proc. U-. S. Nat. Mus. 1880,301.) 



454.— PARALICHTHYS Girard. 



{Pseudorhombus Bleeker: Ancijlopaetta, Cliwiiopuctfa, and Uropsetta Gill: Xi/streurys 

 J. &G: HippogJosiiina Steiadacliuer.) 



(Girard, U. S. Pac. E. R. Surv. Fish. 1858, 146: type ParaUclillujs maculosus Girard.) 



Eyes and color on the left side (except in ParuUchthys maculosus and 

 Paralichthys liolepis^ reversed examples of which species are about as 

 common as sinistral ones). Body oblong; mouth large, oblique; each 

 jaw with a single row of nsually slender and sharp teeth, which are 

 more or less enlarged anteriorly; no teeth on vomer or palatines. Gill- 

 rakers various. Scales small, ctenoid or cycloid; lateral line simple, 

 with a strong curve anteriorly. Dorsal fin beginning above or before 

 the eye; both ventx'als lateral; caudal fin donble truncate, or double 

 concave, its middle rays produced ; no anal spine. Species numerous, 

 found in all warm seas. [-apaXXeXuq, parallel; ixOuz, fish.) 



1264. P. califoriiicHS (Ayres) J. & G. — Monterey halihut ; Bastard lialilmt. 



Grayish brown, uniform, or mottled with blackish and pale, the head 

 sometimes sprinkled with black dots; young brownish, with bluish 

 spots. Body rather long and thickish; head small; eye small, little 

 wider than the broad, flattish interorbital space ; maxillary as long as 

 pectoral, half length of head, reaching beyond eye ; teeth slender, sharp, 

 rather long, the canines moderate. Scales small, finely ciliate, each 

 scale surrounded by narrow, accessory scales ; scales on blind side simi- 

 lar; fins with ctenoid scales. Dorsal low, beginning over front of upper 

 eye. Gill-rakers very long and slender, numerons, as long as eye, 23 

 below the angle. Lower pharyngeals narrow, with small, slender teeth. 

 Anal si)ine small, concealed. Ilead 3^ to 4^ ; depth 2§. D. 70; A. 55; 

 Lat. 1. 100. Bodj'^ indilferently dextral or sinistral. Coast of California; 

 abundant southward; an important food-fish, reaching a weight of 00 

 l)ounds. 



{Paralichthjjs macnloHUH Girard, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phil. 18r;4, 147, young (not 

 liliomhiis macnloHiis Cuvier, ■which is also a species of I'araliclitlins): Poraliilitlnjn macit- 

 Ififiui (Jirard, U. S. Pac. R. R. Surv. Fish. 147: Paraliclithi/s marulomt-s (Jiinllua-, iv, 431: 

 IliltpodloHHiiH caH/ortiiruH Ayres, Proc. Cal. Acad. Nat. Sci. lH.")i), i;<): ParalichthijH mavu- 

 limits and Uropxvtla californica Gill, Proc. Acad, Nat. Sci. Phil. 18G4, 197: Ptitudorhombus 

 ealifornicus Giiuther, iv, 426.) 



