704. Suborder Heterosomata 
abundant. On the Pacific coast from Monterey to Alaska and 
across to northern Japan it constitutes half the catch of 
flounders. The body-is covered with rough scattered scales, 
the fins are barred with black. It reaches a weight of twenty 
pounds. Living in shallow waters, it ascends all the larger 
rivers. 
An allied species in Japan is Kareitus bicoloratus, with scat- 
tered scales. Clidoderma asperrimum, also of northern Japan, 
has the body covered with series of warts. 
In deeper water are found the elongate forms known as 
smear-dab and flukes. The smear-dab of Europe (Mzicro- 
Fie. 607.—Eel-back Flounder, Liopsetta putnami (Gill). Salem, Mass. 
stomus kitt) is rather common in deep water. Its skin is very 
slimy, but the flesh is excellent. The same is true of the 
slippery sole, Microstomus pactficus, of California and Alaska, 
and of other species found in Japan. Glyptocephalus cyno- 
glossus, the craig-fluke, or pole-flounder, of the North Atlantic, 
is taken in great numbers in rather deep water on both coasts. 
Its flesh is much like that of the sole. A similar species 
(Glyptocephalus zachirus) with a very long pectoral on the 
right scale is found in California, and Microstomus kitahare in 
Japan. 
