[65] FLOUNDERS AND SOLES. 289 



Genus XXXUL— PSEUD OPLEURONECTES. 



Pseudopleuronectes Bleeker, Comptes Rendus Acad. Amst. , Plcuron., 7, 1862 (plan us). 



Type: Plcuronectcs planus Mitchill= Pleuroncctes americanus Wal- 

 bauin. 



This genus is distinguished from Platessa chiefly by the well-imbri- 

 cated ctenoid scales, and from Limanda, which it more closely resembles, 

 by the want of arch to the lateral line. Besides the typical species, we 

 refer to this genus a second from the North Pacific. 



ANALYSIS OF SPECIES OF PSEUDOPLEURONECTES. 



a. Dorsal rays 65 ; anal rays 48. Body regularly elliptical ; a very slight angle above 

 eye ; iuterorbital space rather broad, convex, half as wide as eye, and entirely 

 scaly ; a low granular ridge above opercle. Head 4 ; depth 2£; lat. 1. 83. Ver- 

 tebra} 10 -f- 26 = 36. Color dark rusty brown, plain or mottled with darker ; fins 



nearly plain Americanus, 79. 



aa. [Dorsal rays 58; anal 38. Body subelliptical, the snout rather pointed, and not 

 forming an angle above eye ; interorbital space rather broad, half width of eye; 

 a rather prominent rugose ridge above opercle, with a smaller similar ridg« be- 

 hind it ; both sides of jaws with teeth. Head 3f ; depth 2£ ; lat. 1. 70. Color 

 brown, with vague dusky spots ; six or seven blackish vertical bars on dorsal and 

 anal ; similar lengthwise blotcheson caudal. ] (Steindachner) -Pinnifasciatus,80. 



79. PSEUDOPLEURONECTES AMERICANUS. 



(The Common Flat-fish on Winter Flounder.) 

 [Plate XIV.] 



Flounder, Schopf, "Schrift. Gesellschaft Naturforscheuder Freuude, viii, 1788,148." 



(New York.) 

 Pleuronecte8 americanus Walbaum, Artedi, Piscium, 1792, 113 (based on the "Floun- 

 der" of Schopf). Blocb & Schneider, Syst. Ichth., 1801, 150 (copied). 



Gunther, iv, 443, 1862 (New York). Jordan & Gilbert, Synopsis, 1882, 837. 



Stearns, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., 1883, 125 (Labrador). 

 Pseudopleuronectes americanus Gill, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1864, 216. Goode, Nat. 



Hist. Aquat. Anim., 1884, 182, pi. 44 (Cbesapeake Bay to Bay of Chaleur). 

 Platessa plana Storer, Fishes Mass., 1839, 140. DeKay, New York Fauna, Fishes, 295, 



pi. 49, f. 158, 1842 (New York). Storer, Synopsis, 1846, 476. 

 Pseudopleuronectes planus Bleeker, Comptes Rendus Amsterd., xiii, 1862,7. 

 Platessa pusilla DeKay, New York Fauna, Fishes, 1842, 296, pi. 47, f. 153 (New 



York). Storer, Synopsis, 1846, 477. 



Habitat. — Atlantic coast of North America from Labrador to Chesa- 

 peake Bay. 



This small flounder is one of the most abundant of the group on our 

 Atlantic coast. It reaches a length of about 15 inches and a weight of 

 less than two pounds. It is a very good food-fish and sells readily in 

 the markets. Along the south coast of Massachusetts this species is 

 more abundant than any other of the flat-fishes. 



The specimens examined by us are from Labrador, Cape Breton, An- 

 ticoisti, Grand Menau, Boston, Proviueetown, Wood's lioll, New Bed- 

 ford, and Somers Point, New Jersey. 

 S. Mis. 90 19 



