268 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. [44] 
original figure of this species published by Catesby is a very good one 
and leaves no room for doubt as to the species intended. The figure of 
Bloch, called Plewronectes argus, is also fairly accurate, and can refer 
to no other species. 
This species reaches a length of some 18 inches, and is the largest in 
size of the American species of Platophrys. We have never seen any 
young examples which certainly belong to it, and till its development is 
traced some of the species known from small examples only must be 
doubtful. 
44. PLATOPHRYS LEOPARDINUS. 
Rhomboidichthys leopardinus Giinther, Cat. Fish., iv, 1862, 434 (locality unknown). 
Platophrys leopardinus Jordan, Proc. U. 8. Nat. Mus., 1884, p. 260 (Guaymas). 
Habitat—Gulf of California. 
This species is known only from the orignal type from unknown lo- 
cality, and from a single specimen in the U. 8S. National Museum, taken 
by Mr. H. F. Emeric, at Guaymas. 
Genus XIX.—SYACIUM. 
Syacium Ranzani, Novis Speciebus Piscium, Diss. Sec., 1840, 20 (micrwrum). 
Hemirhombus Bleeker, Comptes Rendus Acad. Sci. Amsterd., xiii, Pleuron, 4 (1862), 
(quineénsis). 
Aramaca Jordan & Goss, Cat. Fish. N. A., 1885, 153 (pa@tula). 
Type: Syacium micrurum Ranzani. 
This genus contains a considerable number of species, mostly Amerti- 
can and African, which form a transition from Platophrys to Citharich- 
thys. They fall readily into two groups or subgenera, distinguished by 
the width of the interorbital space. As this width is dependent on age 
and as it is subject to various intergradations, the group Aramaca 
founded on it cannot be admitted as a distinct genus. 
The name Syacium, based especially on Syacium micrurum, must take 
the place of Hemirhombus. 
ANALYSIS OF SPECIES OF SYACIUM. 
a. [Snout before upper orbit with three conspicuous spinous processes; maxillary 
reaching beyond eye, 24 in head; interorbital space scaly, concave, 2 in eye 
(in specimens of 34 inches); eye 24} in head; spines on snout about 3 in eye; no 
produced fin rays; pectoral as long as head without snout; head blunt, higher 
than long, the profile straight; lateral line without arch; head 3; depth 2; 
D. 78, A. 62; scales 48; color grayish, with large distant black blotches on dor- 
sal and anal; one or twoon basal half of caudal and on end of caudal peduncle; 
pectoral with dark bands. ] (Giinther) .-.....-.-...-2.---.20-- CoRNUTUM, 45. 
aa. Snout and orbits without spines or spinous processes. 
b. Scales larger, 50 to 57 in the lateral line; interorbital space very broad, greater 
than the long diameter of the eye in the males, about equal to the vertical di- 
ameter in the females; accessory scales very numerous; maxillary 24 in head; 
its tip scaly; anterior teeth canine-like: gill-rakers short, strong, not one-third 
