58 FOSSIL FISHES OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA 



Family PLEURONECTIDJE. 



51. Evesthes jordani Gilbert. 

 (Plates XXV, XXVI) 



This remarkable flounder, described in the University of California 

 Publications, Geology, 5, 407, Nov., 1910, was found in diatomaceous 

 shales in the Miocene of Lompoc, on the north side of the Sierra Santa 

 Ynez in Santa Barbara County. It is probably the most primitive flounder 

 known, related to the living genus, PARALICHTHYS Girard, but with fewer 

 fin-rays, fewer vertebrae, and especially a much larger body-cavity. 



The original plates of this species are here reproduced through the 

 courtesy of Dr. John C. Merriam. 



52. Diatomoeca zatima Jordan and Gilbert, new genus and species. 



(Plate XXIV, fig. 3) 



It is a custom at Lompoc to cut the diatomaceous celite into large 

 blocks or bricks for the trade. On the surface of these bricks are often 

 found fossil fishes, especially specimens of LOMPOQUIA AGILE. 



On the surface of one of these blocks presented by Mr. Edward J. 

 Porteous is the torso of a large flounder which we call DIATOMOZCA 

 ZATIMA. 



Type No. CXXXIII, Lompoc, Edward J. Porteous, the part pre- 

 served six and three-eighths inches in length. This specimen shows the 

 usual flounder structure in the backward curve and close approximation 

 of the haemal spines before the anal fin. But this condition is much more 

 pronounced than in EVESTHES JORDANI, from the same deposits. The 

 specimen shows twenty-two of the caudal vertebrae, the total number 

 having been probably twenty-six. These are very stout, much stronger 

 than in EVESTHES, deeper than long, not constricted, and with fine roughish 

 longitudinal ridges. The neural and haemal processes are remarkably 

 long, the latter especially, and all are strongly curved. The processes in 

 EVESTHES are much shorter and nearly straight, while the vertebrae are 

 fewer in number, slender, and much longer than deep. The depth at front 

 of anal fin is almost equal to the length of twenty vertebrae. 



The dorsal rays are slender, rather low, twenty-four of them in four 

 and a half inches of the length of the body. The rays are close set, de- 

 creasing rapidly backward. The anterior rays are obliterated. The anal 

 fin is represented by the bases of a few anterior rays. There was appar- 

 ently no procurrent spine before the fin. The few ribs represented are 

 long, slender and bent backward. The head, with the pectorals, ventrals, 

 and caudal, was unfortunately cut off in preparing the slab. i 



There is not much doubt that these remains represent a large flo.under, 

 probably big-mouthed, and allied to the PARALICHTHYS group. It is not 

 possible to determine in which side the eyes were. 



