612 The Squamipinnes 
thickened and the skull otherwise modified. A very similar 
species, Chetodipterus zonatus, occurs on the west coast of 
Mexico. Species allied to Chatodipterus are fossil in the Italian 
Eocene. The Drepanide of the East Indies are close to the 
warchide. Drepane punctata is a large, deep-bodied fish resem- 
bling the spadefish but with larger scales. 
HAN 
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= 
ee 
Fic. 506.—Spadefish, Chetodipterus faber (L.). Virginia. 
The Platacide.—Closely related to the Jlarchtde is also the 
East Indian family of Platacide, remarkable for the very great 
depth and compression of the body, which is much deeper than 
long, and the highly elevated dorsal and anal still further empha- 
size this peculiarity of form. In this group the few dorsal 
spines are closely attached to the soft rays and the general 
color is dusky. In the young the body is deeper than in the 
adult and the ventral fins much more produced. The best- 
known species is the tsuzume or batfish (Platax orbtcularts), 
which ranges from India through the warm current to northern 
Japan. Platax tetra, farther south, is very similar. Platax 
le A i a AL ai cata Nice: ti ai Pagani iaaes tenes items eit elena eth 
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