2618 Bulletin ^7, United States National Museum. 



beginning before the eye; vertebra? about 40; flesh firm. This genus con- 

 tains but 1 species, found on the coast of California, It is nearly related 

 to Hippofilossoictes, but possesses the peculiar accessory dorsal branch to 

 the lateral line, characteristic of so many of the Pacific coast flounders. 

 (iptjrra, the turbot; z^07>j, fish.) 



2984. PSETTICHTHYS MELANOSTICTUS, Girard. 



Head 4; depth 2fc. D. 85; A. 60; scales 112. Body not very deep, ellip- 

 tical; mouth rather small, the maxillary extending to below pupil, 2* in 

 head ; teeth large, in a single series in each jaw, those in lower jaw largest ; 

 a few large canines in front of each jaw. Eyes very small, separated by a 

 broad, flat, scaly space, without ridge; lower eye slightly in advance of 

 upper; gill rakers rather stout, weak, hooked at tip, 14 below the angle; 

 scales very small, ctenoid on colored side ; lateral line nearly straight, with 

 a long accessory dorsal branch; dorsal commencing in advance of upper 

 eye, the anterior rays elevated, slender and exserted, the longest about 

 length of head; first ray of dorsal nearly free from its membrane; pec- 

 toral fin short, 2 in head ; anal fin preceded by a spine ; caudal large, 

 strongly convex; lower pharyngeals very narrow, each with 1 row of 

 sharp, recurved teeth. Grayish brown, finely speckled with darker on 

 body and fins. Pacific coast of North America, from Sitka south to Mon- 

 terey. This is one of the commoner flounders of the Pacific coast, being 

 everywhere known by the name of "Sole." It lives near the shore, and 

 reaches a length of about 20 inches. In color this species is quite unlike 

 the species of Hippoglossoides, but in most other respects the two groups 

 are closely allied. (///l, black; driHro^, spotted.) 



Psettichthys melanoftiettis, GlRARD, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila. 1854, 140, San Francisco ; As- 

 toria, Oregon ; GIRARD, II. S. Pac. R. R. Surv., x, Fishes, 154, 1858; GUNTHER, Cat., 

 iv, 420, 1862; LOCKINGTON, Rep. Com. Fisheries Cal. 1878-79, 40; LOCKINGTON, Proc. 

 TJ. S. Nat. Mus. 1879, 76; JORDAN & GILBERT, Proc. TJ. S. Nat. Mus. 1880, 453 ; JORDAN & 

 GILBERT, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus. 1881, 67 ; JORDAN, Nat. Hist. Acquatic Animals, 186, pi. 

 51, 1884; JORDAN <fe Goss, Review Flounders and Soles, 241, pi. 6, 1889. 



Hippoglossoides melanostictus, JORDAN & GILBERT, Synopsis, 828, 1883. 



1020. VERASPER, Jordan & Gilbert, new genus. 



Verajper, JORDAN &. GILBERT, Report Fur Seal Invest., 1898 MS. (tnoseri). 



This genus is allied to Xystreurys and Hippoglossina, having few short 

 gill rakers like the former and strongly ctenoid scales like the latter. It 

 differs strongly from all its congeners in having the premaxillary teeth 

 in 2 series, teeth uniformly small, without canines. Body dextral; 

 dorsal inserted above the front of pupil; lateral line strongly arched 

 above the root of the pectoral, without recurrent dorsal branch ; scales 

 firm, extremely spinous; gill rakers short, thick, and triangular, few in 

 number; none of the fin rays notably produced or exserted. Japan 

 and Kuril Islands; 2 species known, the following and V. variegatus (Schle- 

 gel), a common food fish of Japan, the 2 very closely related. ( vcrus, true ; 

 aspt-r, rough, the word being suggested by J'cratrum.) 



