[35] FLOUNDERS AND SOLES. 259 



Genus XVII.— ABNOGLOSSUS. 



Arnoglossus Bleeker, Comptes Rendus Acad. Sci. Ainsterd., xiii, 1862, (J (Arnoglossus 

 laterna). 



Type: Pleuronectes arnoglossus Bloeh & Schneider =Pleuronectes la- 

 terna Walbaum. 



This genus is composed of several species of small translucent floun- 

 ders, found in the Mediterranean and the East Indies. They much re- 

 semble the species of Cithariehthys, which they represent in the Old World 

 fauna, the arch of the lateral line in Arnoglossus constituting the chiel 

 difference. The characters of the different European species have not 

 been well set forth by authors, and possibly all the nominal species are 

 reducible to two or three. 



We find also in the Zoological Eecord a reference to Arnoglossus 

 soleiformis Malm, Goteborg. Mus., Arsskr., iii,1881, 24. We have not 

 seen the original description of the fish briefly noticed in this paper, 

 and know nothing of the species thus named. We have also provis- 

 ionally placed in Arnoglossus two American species which we have not 

 seen. These have been referred by their describers to other genera, 

 Hemirhomuus and (Sitharkhthys ; but as both have uuiserial teeth and 

 an arched lateral line, they would belong technically to Arnoglossus 

 rather than to either of these groups. But the one (fimbriatus) differs 

 from Arnoglossus in the small scales and tubercular gill-rakers, while 

 the other has small, firm, strongly ctenoid scales, nothing being said of 

 its gill-rakers. Possibly the two should constitute one or two additional 

 genera between Arnoglossus and Azevia; but we do not wish to attempt 

 to define these groups without having seen any of their species. 



Bleeker has questioned the propriety of distinguishing Arnoglossus 

 from Platophrys, as the broad interorbital characteristic of Platophrys is 

 subject to much variation. As the two genera differ also in various 

 other respects of form, dentition, squamation, &c, we think it best to 

 keep them separate. 



ANALYSIS OF SPECIES OF ARNOGLOSSUS. 



a. Mouth small, the maxillary reaching front of pupil, its length about 3 in head; 

 scales rather large, thin, and caducous, weakly ctenoid ; 40 to 60 in the lat- 

 eral line ; gill-rakers slender. (Arnoglossus.) 



b. [Dorsal fin with four anterior rays produced. D. 95, A. 77,.lat. 1.60. Maxillary 

 3£ in head ; interorbital space a very narrow, sharp ridge. Depth 2f in length. 

 Color uniform grayish.] (Giintlier) Lophotes, 31. 



bb. Dorsal fin with its second ray much produced, nearly as long as head ; body 

 rather deep, the depth 2J in length ; maxillary about reaching front of pu- 

 pil, 3 in head; eye large, 4 in head ; interorbital space not very narrow, with 

 a median groove ; D. 80 to 90 (83 in specimens examined), A. 60 to 67 (C>3 in 

 our specimens) ; lat. 1. about 55. Curve of lateral line 3^ in straight part; 

 gill-rakers slender and weak,X-f 6. Vertebrae 10-{-28=38. Colordark brown, 

 with darker markings : fjqs spotted .. GrOHAIANNI, 32. 



