Jordan and Evermann. Fishes of North America. 2637 



1029. PLEURONICHTHYS, Girard. 



Pleuronichthys, GIRARD, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila. 1854, 139 (coenosus). 



Heteroprosopon, BLEEKER, Coinptes Rendus Acad. Amsterdam, xm, 1862, 8 (cornutus). 



Parophrys, GUNTHER, Cat. Fishes, iv, 454, 1862 ; not of GIRARD. 



Eyes and color on the right side. Body deep ; head short, with very 

 short, blunt snout ; mouth small, with several series of slender, acute teeth, 

 which are most developed on the blind side, and are often wanting in 1 

 or both jaws on the colored side; no teeth on vomer or palatines; lips 

 thick, with several lengthwise folds within which is a series of short 

 fringes. Lower pharyngeals narrow, each with a double row of very small 

 teeth. Gill rakers wide set, very short and weak. Lateral line nearly 

 straight, with a dorsal branch in our species. Scales small, cycloid, non- 

 imbricate, embedded. Dorsal fin anteriorly twisted from the dorsal ridge 

 toward the blind side; anal fin preceded by a spine; caudal fin convex 

 behind. Intestinal canal elongate. Herbivorous species, feeding chiefly 

 on alga?. Pacific Ocean. This well-marked genus contains 3 American 

 species, which are very closely related to each other. The Asiatic species, 

 Platessa cornuta, Schlegel, of the coasts of China and Japan, is also a 

 member of this group, having an accessory branch to the lateral line as in 

 the American species. This species bears some resemblance to PI. verti- 

 calis. The species of Pleuronichthys spawn in the spring, and live in com- 

 paratively deep water, (rthevpor, side; ^6^5, fish.) 



a. Dorsal fin beginning on the level of the lower lip, its first 9 rays on the blind side. 



DECURRENS, 3005. 



act. Dorsal fin beginning on level of upper lip, its first 5 rays being on the blind side. 



b. Interorbital ridge posteriorly with a strong spine directed backward, some 



tubercles on interorbital ridge. VERTICALIS, 3006. 



bb. Interorbital ridge prominent, but without spines and conspicuous tubercles. 



CCENOSUS, 3007. 



3005. PLEURONICHTHYS DECURRENS, Jordan & Gilbert. 



HeadSA; depth If. D. 72; A. 40; scales 80; eye 3 in head; maxillary 

 4; pectoral If; highest dorsal rays 1; anal rays If; caudal 1. Body 

 short and wide; mouth very small, the maxillary reaching nearly to 

 pupil ; teeth villiform, in moderate bands on blind side, a narrow band on 

 eyed side of lower jaw; eyes very large, the upper edge of upper eye 

 even with profile; snout extremely short; a blunt tubercle in front of 

 upper eye, another at each end of the narrow interorbital ridge, the pos- 

 terior largest, but usually not spine-like; 2 or 3 above the latter behind 

 the upper eye: some prominences above the opercle; gill opening short, 

 not extending above upper edge of pectoral. Dorsal beginning very low, 

 on level of end of maxillary, its first 9 rays on the blind side; anal spine 

 well developed, the origin of anal a little behind vertical from base of 

 pectoral ; pectoral of eyed side a little larger than its mate, both rounded 

 behind; ventral of blind side shorter than that of eyed side, and placed 

 slightly before it, caudal well rounded. Scales cycloid, embedded, a 

 space between them anteriorly; lateral line without arch, slightly curved. 

 Color brownish, usually much mottled with chocolate and grayish, often 

 finely spotted with brownish on body and fins; all fins darker than body; 



