2642 Bulletin 4.7, United States National Museum. 



1033. ISOPSETTA, Lockington. 

 Isopsetta, LOCKENGTON MS., in JORDAN & GILBERT, Synopsis, 832, 1883 (isolepis). 



Body much compressed, elliptical in form; mouth rather large; the 

 teeth chiefly uniserial, all more or less blunt, separated, not incisor-like; 

 scales closely imbricated, all strongly ctenoid ; lower pharyngeals each 

 with a double row of bluntish teeth. A single species found on the coast 

 of California. Isopsetta 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 are nearest the latter, but the close relation of the 

 Hippoglossinw and Pleuronectincv is clearly shown. (t'do$, equal; ifjtjrra, 

 flounder.) 



3011. ISOPSETTA ISOLEPIS (Lockington). 



Head 4 ; depth 2J. D. 88 ; A. 65 ; scales 88 ; vertebra 10 + 32 = 42. Body 

 elliptical, much compressed, moderately deep, the curvature very regular; 

 head moderate, strongly compressed, the profile little depressed above the 

 eye; eyes rather large; interorbital space broad, flattish, with several 

 series of scales. Scales on cheeks similar to those on body, rather large, 

 ctenoid, and closely imbricated. Mouth comparatively large, maxillary 

 reaching pupil, 3f in head; teeth not large, about ^jr^ conical, close set, 

 in 1 somewhat irregular series, or partly in 2 series, those on colored 

 side small ; lower pharyngeals each with a double row of bluntish teeth. 

 On the blind side the scales are more or less ctenoid, sometimes smooth ; 

 those on the cheeks weakly ctenoid; most of the opercle, the preopercle, 

 iiiteropercle, and subopercle on blind side naked ; lateral line with a very 

 slight arch in front, the depth of which is less than the length ; accessory 

 branch nearly as long as head ; fins rather low, mostly covered with ctenoid 

 scales. Color brownish, mottled and blotched with darker. This small 

 flounder is rather common off the coast of California, where it reaches a 

 length of about 15 inches. It much resembles Psettichlhys melanostictus, 

 but its small mouth and blunt dentition indicate a real affinity with the 

 small-mouthed flounders, among which it is here placed. Its nearest rela- 

 tive among our species is doubtless Lepidopsetta Ulineata. Puget Sound to 

 Point Concepcion, in rather deep water; not rare. (i'do$, equal; ATTZ, 

 scale.) 



Lepidopsetta umbrosa, LOCKINGTON, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus. 1879, 106 ; not of GIRARD. 

 Lepidopsetta isolepis, LOCKINGTON, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mns. 1880, 325, San Francisco. 

 Parophrys isolepis, JORDAN & GILBERT, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus. 1880, 453 and 1881, 67; 



JORDAN & GILBERT, Synopsis, 832, 1883; JORDAN, Nat.Hist.Aquat.Anim., 186, 1884. 

 Isopsetta isolepi*, JORDAN, Cat. Fish. N. A., 136, 1885; JORDAN & Goss, Keview Flounders 



and Soles, 285, 1889. 



1034. LEPIDOPSETTA, Gill. 

 Lepidoptetta, GILL, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila. 1864, 195 (umbrosus). 



Body robust; mouth small. Teeth stout, conical, little compressed, 

 bluntish, in 1 series, rather irregularly placed. Lateral line with a 

 distinct arch in front and accessory dorsal branch; scales imbricated, 



