EDIBLE PISHES OF NEW SOUTH WALES. 157 



PSEUDOEHOMBUS MTJLTIMACULATUS. 



Pseudorliomhiis midtlmaculatus, Gnth. Catal. Fish. iv. p. '427, 1862; Macleay, 

 Catal. Austr. Fish. ii. p. 125. 



Small-toothed Flounder. 

 Plate XXXVIII. 



B. vii. D 69. A. 52-55. V. 6. P. 12. C. 15. 



Length of head 4-40-4-70, height of body 2-83-2-50 in the total length. 

 Eyes prominent, the iij^per very slightly in advance of the lower, which is 

 situated entirely behind the angle of the mouth, and whose diameter is 

 4"50-4'75 in the length of the head, and one tenth more than that of the 

 snout : interorbital space reduced to a narrow bony ridge. Both sinistral 

 nostrils with a low skinny margin, highest on the hinder edge of the anterior 

 nostril, which is transversely oval, the posterior one being longitudinally 

 oval ; dextral nostrils simple, the anterior small and round, with a posterior 

 bilobate tentacle, its lower lobe being half as long as the diameter of the 

 orbit ; the posterior much larger and cordiform. Upper jaw a little the 

 longer. Cleft of mouth large and oblique, the maxilla reaching to beneath 

 the posterior margin of the orbit, its length 2"50 in that of the head. Jaws 

 with a single series of small conical teeth, a few on either side of the 

 symphysis in the upper being the stronger, while in the lower none are 

 enlarged ; upper jaw with twenty five to twenty seven teeth in each 

 ramus, the lower with from eighteen to twenty. The dorsal fin commences 

 in front of the upper eye ; the longest rays are between the thirty fifth 

 and fiftieth, their height being from 2'15-2'40 in that of the head ; all the 

 rays have their tips produced, the anterior ones considerably so : ventral fins 

 of almost equal size, that on the coloured side reaching backwards to the 

 fourth anal ray, the second ray the longest, and more distinctly filamentous 

 its length 2".33-2"50 in that of the head : the anal commences beneath the 

 opercular flap : pectoral well developed, reaching to beyond the curve of the 

 lateral line, its length from r50-l'80 in that of the head: caudal cunei- 

 form, the least height of its pedicle 4'20 in the height of the body. Scales 

 on the upper side ctenid, on the lower eyelid : head scaly, with the excep- 

 tion of the snout, preorbital, and interorbital space ; left maxilla with several 

 series of small scales on its postero-superior margin ; a row of small scales 

 on each of the dorsal and anal rays. Lateral line arched above the pectoral 

 fins, the height of the arch 2"50 in its length ; it is continued forwards to the 

 upper eye, where it curves downwards to the lower one, ceasing at the junction 

 of the maxilla and the suborbital ring; a short curved branch passes upwards 

 from the opercle, but does not as a rule reach the dorsal fin. Gillrakers 

 short, stout, and widely set, about one fifth of the diameter of the eye in 

 length. 



Colors. — Rich brown above, the edges of the scales with a rusty tinge, 

 with numerous small, round, milk white spots, which are sometimes confluent, 

 and with flve dark spots on the lateral line, the second and fourth of which 

 are the most conspicuous, each spot being closely dotted with yellow : the 

 anterior portion of the dorsal faintly marbled, posterior with dark blotches, 

 which are more jDronounced on the outer two thirds of the fin ; anal 

 similar, but more richly colored ; caudal clouded with light brown ; lower 

 surfaces white. 



