260 EEPOET OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. [36] 



aa. Mouth larger, the maxillary reaching middle of eye, its length 2£ to 2£- in head ; 

 none of the dorsal rays much produced ; body more elongate, the depth 2f in 

 length. Dorsal rays 86 to 90 ; anal rays 67 to 70 ; Lat. 1. about 50. 

 c. [Maxillary nearly 3 in head ; color grayish, dotted with brown.] 



Conspersus, 33. 

 cc. Maxillary 2£ in head ; eye large, 4 in head, the interorbital space very nar- 

 now, without median groove ; curve of lateral line 3| in straight part ; gill- 

 rakers slender and weak, about X+7 in number ; vertebrae 10+28=38; color 

 nearly uniform translucent grayish Laterna, 34. 



aaa. Mouth very large, the maxillary about half length of head ; scales small, 65 to 

 70 in the lateral line ; species of uncertain position. 

 d. [Scales cycloid ; mouth very large, the maxillary half length of head ; teeth 

 uniserial, those in front of jaws larger, those below largest ; some of the teeth 

 depressible; eye 5 in head, the interorbital ridge low, about one-fourth width 

 of eye; gill-rakers tubercular, X+9 ; anterior nostril with a filament one-third 

 length of snout; first ray of dorsal longer than second ; lateral line with a 

 slight arch, its length 3£ in the straight portion, none of the dorsal rays pro- 

 duced; head 3|; depth nearly 2; D.80; A. 60; Lat.l. 70; color grayish-brown ; 

 the dorsal and anal fins each with two roundish dark blotches on their pos- 

 terior half, each larger than the eye ; a similar dark blotch on base of caudal ; 

 pectoral with a dark band at base, its outer half marked with a dark blotch, 

 which is reticulated and mottled with lighter; the interTening part of the fin 

 pearly white, with dark specks on the rays] ( Goode JfBean) . . .Fimbriatus, 35. 

 dd. [Scales strongly ctenoid, firmly fixed ; lateral line with the "curved portion 

 bold and sharply defined"; eye large, 3f in head, about eight times the di- 

 ameter of the interorbital space, which is very narrow and scaleless ; maxil- 

 lary nearly half length of head; dorsal fiu beginning on the blind side, before 

 the eyes; pectoral about as long as head; caudal fin subsessile; ventral of 

 eyed side enlarged in the male, its length 3A in body, about three times length 

 of right ventral; head 4; depth 2i; D. 93; A. 73; Lat. 1. 66 (20+46); color 

 light brownish-gray; a, dark blotch as long as eye on anterior rays of anal; 

 another paler at end of curve of lateral line ; a few obscure dusky blotches 

 elsewhere on body] ( Goode #• Bean ) Ventralis, 36. 



31. ARNOG-LOSSUS LOPHOTES. 



t Bothus imperialis Rafinesque, Caratteri, 1810, 23 (Palermo). 

 Arnoglossuslophotes Giinther, iv. 417, 1862 (European, probably British). 



Habitat — Mediterranean Sea. 



We do not know the species called Anioglossus lophotes. In fact only 

 the original types, dried skins from unknown locality, seem to be known 

 as yet. Among the Mediterranean fishes, this one approaches most 

 nearly to the description given by Rafinesque of his Bothus imperialis. 

 The name imperialis should therefore perhaps be adopted in place of 

 lopliotes. According to Doderlein, the " Tappa orLinguata Impiriali" of 

 the Sicilian fishermen is Anioglossus bosci. This, according to Day, 

 would be Lepidorhombus wkiff-iagonis, but Kafinesque's description 

 cannot well be applied to the latter species. The following is a trans- 

 lation of Eafinesque's description : 



" Bothus imperialis.— Almost three times longer than broad, dorsal 

 fin beginning before, the eyes; lateral line arched at the base ; leftside 

 smooth olive, clouded with dusky; right side white; tail even. It is 



