206G Bulletin 4.7, United States National Museum. 



angle at isthmus, along ridge of body, slightly past front of anal; base of 

 ventral of blind side the length of that of its mate; caudal with the 

 middle rays produced, double convex. Color dark olive, with many rings, 

 curved spots, and small round dots of sky blue edged with darker on body, 

 these largest near middle of sides, where some are as large as the eye; 3 

 obscure dark blotches on straight part of lateral line; head and vertical 

 iins with sharply denned blue spots, which are mostly round; spots on 

 opercles larger and curved; pectorals with dark bars. West Indies, north 

 to Florida; common. Here described from a specimen from Green Turtle 

 Cay, Florida, 14 inches in length. This handsome and curiously colored 

 species is not rare in the waters of the West Indies. The specimens 

 examined by us are from Cuba, Sombrero, St. Thomas, and other localities 

 in the West Indies. Tho original figure of this species published by 

 Catesby is a very good one and leaves no room for doubt as to the species 

 intended. The figure of Bloch, called Pleuronectes argus, is also fairly 

 accurate, and can refer to no other species. This species reaches a length 

 of some 18 inches, and is the largest in size of the American species of 

 PlatopTirys. We have never seen any young examples which certainly 

 belong to it, and till its development is traced some of the species known 

 from small examples only must be doubtful, (lunatus, crescent-shaped, 

 from the spots.) 



Solea lunata et punctata (the Sole), CATESBY, Nat. Hist. Carolina, tab. 27, 1725, Bahamas. 

 Pleuronectes lunatus, LINNAEUS, Syst. Nat., Ed. x, 269, 1758, Bahamas; based on CATESBY; 



and of the various copyists. 



Pleuronectes argus, BLOCK, Ichthyol., tab. 48, 1783, Martinique; after Plumier. 

 1 Pleuronectes surinamensis, BLOCK & SCHNEIDER, Syst. Ichth., 156, 1801, Surinam ; "satis 



parva et glabra ;" fins scaly ; mouth small ; lateral line arched in front; D. 96; A. 55. 

 Bhomboidichthys lunatus, GUNTHER, Cat., iv, 433, 1862; POKY, Synopsis, 408, 1868. 

 Phomboidichthys lunulatus, POEY, Enumeratio, 138, 1875. 



Platophrys lunatus, JORDAN, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus. 1886, 51 ; JORDAN & Goss, Review Floun- 

 ders and Soles, 267, 1 889. 



3036. PLATOPHRYS LEOPARDINUS (Giinther). 



Head 3| in length; depth If; eye (lower) 3| in head. D. 86 to 88; A. 

 64 (62 to 66) ; scales about 80. Mouth very small, the maxillary 3f in 

 head ; teeth very small, biserial above. liiterorbital space concave, rather 

 broad, its width 3| in head. Eyes large, the lower considerably before 

 the upper. Lateral line with a short sharp curve anteriorly. Gill rakers 

 very small. Anterior rays of dorsal not elevated ; left pectoral not pro- 

 duced, little longer than right, 1| in head. Coloration highly variegated 

 with different shades of gray, the pale blotches rounded, very irregular 

 in size and position ; no distinct black spots along the lateral line ; a large 

 whitish cloud between the eyes; blind side pale, scaled like the eyed 

 side. Gulf of California. This species is known only from the original 

 type from unknown locality, and from a single specimen, 2| inches long, 

 in the United States National Museum, taken by Mr. H. F. Emeric, at 

 Guaymas, Siualoa. From this the above description was taken, (leopar- 

 dinus, leopard-like.) 



Rhomboidichthys leopardinus, GUNTHER, Cat. Fish., iv, 434, 1862, locality unknown. 

 Platophrys leopardinus, JORDAN, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus. 1884, 260, specimen from Guaymas ; 

 JORDAN <fe Goss, Review of Flounders and Solea, 268, 1889. 



