[61] FLOUNDERS AND SOLES. 285 



Habitat. — Paget Sound (probably northward to Alaska). 

 This species is known only from four specimens taken by Dr. Jordan 

 at Seattle in 1880. It is a large rough flounder, with firm white flesh. 



Genus XXX.— 1SOPSETTA. 



Isopsetta Lockingtou, MSS., Jordan & Gilbert, Synopsis Fish. N. A., 1883, 832 {iso 

 lepis). 



Type: Lepidopsetta isolepis Lockiugton. 



This genus consists of a single species found on the coast of Califor- 

 nia. It approaches in many respects very close to the large-mouthed 

 flounders of the type of Hippoglossoides, and it may fairly be said to 

 be intermediate between Psettichthys and Lepidopsetta. Its affinities on 

 the whole seem to be nearest the latter. 



ANALYSIS OF SPECIES OF ISOPSETTA. 



a. Body elliptical, much compressed, its outlines very regular ; eyes rather large, the 

 upper 4-£ in head, the iuterorbital space broad, flatfish , and scaly. Scales rather 

 large, ctenoid, closely imbricated ; maxillary 3J in head ; teeth bluntish, conical, 

 close-set, but not forming a cutting edge. Lower pharyngeals each with two 

 rows of bluntish teeth ; lateral line with a slight arch in front, and an accessory 

 branch nearly as long as head. Head 4 ; depth 2|. D. 88 ; A. 65 ; lat. 1. 88. Colo r 

 dark-brown, mottled and blotched with darker. Vertebrae 10 -f- 32 =42. 



Isolepis, 73. 



73. ISOPSETTA ISOLEPIS. 



Lepidopsetta umbrosa Lockiugton, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., 1879, 108. (San Francisco; 

 not of Girard.) 



Lepidopsetta isolepis Lockiugton, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., 1880, 325. (San Francisco.) 



Parophrys isolepis Jordan & Gilbert, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., 1880,453, 1881, 67 (Puget 

 Sound, San Francisco). Jordan & Gilbert, Syn. Fish. N. A., 1882, 832. Jor- 

 dan, Nat. Hist. Aquat. Anim., 1884, 186 (Monterey to Puget Sound). 



Isopsetta isolepis Jordan, Cat. Fish. N. A., 1885, 136. 



Habitat. — Puget Sound to Point Concepcion, in rather deep water. 



This small flounder is rather common off the coast of California, 

 where it reaches a length of about 15 inches. It much resembles Pset- 

 tichthys melanostictus, but its small mouth and blunt dentition indicates 

 a real affinity with the small-mouthed flounders, among which it is here 

 placed. Its nearest relative among our species is doubtless Lepidop. 

 setta bilineata. 



Genus XXXI.— LEPIDOPSETTA. 



Lepidopsetta Gill, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phil., 1864, 195 (nmbrosus). 



Type: Platichthys umbrosus Girard — Platessa bilineata Ayres. 



This genus probably contains but a single species, abundant on the 

 Pacific coasts of North America. It is close to Inopsetta, from which it 

 is separated by the arch of the lateral line, and still closer to Limanda, 

 from which the accessory brauch of the lateral line alone separates it. 



