386 FISHES OF NORTH CAROLINA. 



Key to the North Carolina genera of flounders. 



i. Ventral fins similar in position and shape. 



a. Mouth large, the two sides of the jaws about equally developed, the teeth the same on 

 both sides; fishes sinistral (i. e., with eyes and color on left side). 



b. Scales ciliated; a distinct caudal peduncle; mouth large, some of anterior teeth 

 canine; gill-rakers long and slender; anterior rays of dorsal fin not produced. 



Paralichthys. 



bb. Scales ctenoid; caudal peduncle very short; mouth moderate, teeth small, none canine; 



gill-rakers sliort and broad; anterior rays of dorsal fin produced. . A^X'YLOPSETTA. 



aa. Mouth rather small, the two sides of jaws not similar (the bones in the blind side being 



strongly curved, those on the eyed side nearly straight), the teeth mostly on the under 



side; fishes dextral (i. e., with eyes and color on riglit side.). .Pseudopleuronectes. 



ii. Ventral fins dissimilar in position and shape, the fin on the eyed side being longer and 



extending along the edge of the abdomen; fishes sinistral. 



c. Teeth in upper jaw in 2 series, in lower jaw in 1 series, anterior teeth in upper jaw 



enlarged; interorbital space broad (in male) Syacium. 



cc. Teeth in both jaws uniserial; interorbital space very narrow. 



d. Lateral line with a well marked arch in front; anterior dorsal rays produced; teeth 

 on vomer; anterior dorsal rays produced; interorbital space broad. . .Lophopsetta. 

 dd. Lateral line without arch in front; anterior dorsal rays not produced; no teeth on 

 vomer; interorbital space very narrow. 



e. Mouth moderate, the maxillary more than .33 length of head. .Citharichthys. 

 ee. Mouth small, the maxillary less than .33 length of head Etropus. 



Genus PARALICHTHYS Girard. Summer Flounders; Plaice. 



Fishes of moderate or rather large size, found on both coasts of America and 

 also in Asia. Mouth large, oblique, with a single row of sharp, slender teeth in 

 each jaw; gill-rakers slender; lateral line strongly arched anteriorly; scales 

 ctenoid or ciliated; origin of dorsal fin in advance of eye; middle rays of caudal 

 fin longest, the margin double concave. Of the 10 American species, the 3 fol- 

 lowing are known from North Carolina, and probably 1 other {Paralichthys 

 squamilentus) will eventually be found there: 



i. Gill-rakers long and slender, 20 to 25 in number, the longest .66 length of eye; dorsal rays 



about 90; anal rays about 70; body with large, ocellated dark spots dentatus. 



ii. Gill-rakers shorter, 12 or 13 in number; body without ocellated spots. 



a. Dorsal rays about 90; anal rays about 70; color dark olive, mostly uniform. 



lethostigmus. 

 aa. Dorsal rays about 75; anal rays about 60; color dark olive, with numerous pale spots. 



albiguttus. 



(Paralichthys, parallel fish.) 



332. PARALICHTHYS DENTATUS (Linnaeus). 

 "Flounder"; "Mud Flounder"; "Sand Flounder"; Summer Flounder; Plaice. 



Pleuronectes dentatus Linnaeus, Systema Naturae, ed. xii, 1, 458, 1766. 

 ChcBrwpsetta ocellaris. Yarrow, 1877, 206; Beaufort. 

 Pseudorhombus ocellaris, Jordan & Gilbert, 1879, 370; Beaufort. 

 Pseudorhombus dentatus, Jordan & Gilbert, 1879, 370; Beaufort. 



Paralichthys dentatus, Jordan, 1886, 29; Beaufort. Jordan & Evermann, 1898, 2629, pi. ccclxxiii, fig. 922. 

 Linton, 1905, 410; Beaufort. 



Diagnosis. — Body ovate, its depth .37 length; length of head contained 3.5 to 4 times in 

 length; mouth large, oblique, the maxillary extending beyond eye, lower jaw projecting; 

 anterior teeth in both jaws large, strong, and wide set, lateral teeth small and close set; eyes 

 small, .15 length of head; interorbital space about width of eye in adult; scales small, cycloid; 

 lateral line with about 100 tubes, the arch about .25 length of straight part; gill-rakers long and 

 slender, 20 to 25 in number; fins scaly; dorsal fin low, the rays 85 to 93; anal rays 65 to 73. 



