Jordan a?td Evermann. Fishes of North America. 2679 



hh. Body comparatively broad, the depth about the length; mouth 



larger. 



t. Snout with a strong, sharp spine on eyed side, above upper lip ; 

 ej^es large, 3 in head; greatest depth of body over the pec- 

 torals ; interorbital space with a wide ridge, about % diame- 

 ter of eye. D. 74; A. 60; scales 40. UNICORNIS, 3055. 

 ii. Snout without distinct spine; eyes moderate, 3 to 4 in head; 

 greatest depth of body under middle of dorsal ; interorbi- 

 tal space a narrow, scaly ridge with a slight median grooA^e ; 

 maxillary 2 in head ; teeth small, those in front slightly 

 enlarged ; body not very thin ; gill rakers moderate, 6 + 13. 

 j. Dorsal rays 68; anal 52; scales smaller, the lateral line 

 with about 53 pores ; sides with whitish blotches. 



UHLERI, 3056. 



jj. Dorsal rays 80; anal 56; scales large, 41 in lateral line; 

 sides and fins with dark blotches. MACROPS, 3057. 



2. Eyes quite small, 5 to 6 in head ; snout short, fortuing an angle with the pro- 

 file ; mouth moderate, oblique, the maxillary 2 to 2 in head ; teeth small, 

 the anterior somewhat enlarged; dorsal rays about 80; anal rays 60; body 

 and fins speckled. 



k. Scales not very large, 45 to 48 in lateral line ; gill rakers long and slender, 



longer than pupil. SPILOPTERUS, 3058. 



kk. Scales large, 40 to 46 in lateral line; gill rakers short, not longer than 



pupil. GULBERTI, 3059. 



Subgenus ORTHOPSETTA, Gill. 



3048. CITHARICHTHYS SORDID US (Girard). 

 (SOFT FLOUNDER.) 



Head 3^ ; depth 2. D. 95 ; A. 77 ; scales 65 to 70. Form elliptical ; inter- 

 ocular space concave, scaly, a conspicuous sharp ridge above the lower 

 eye; mouth not large, the maxillary about 3 in length of head; teeth 

 anteriorly subequal, growing much smaller behind. Gill rakers about 

 7 -f- 16. Lower pharyngeals narrow, each with 1 row of slender teeth. 

 Scales rather large, thin, and membranaceous, readily deciduous, their 

 edges slightly ciliate; accessory scales numerous. Eye large, much longer 

 than snout, 3^ in head ; depth of caudal peduncle less than head ; pec- 

 torals long, nearly f length of head. Vertebrae 11 + 29 = 40. Dull olive 

 brownish of varying shade, the males with dull orange spots and 

 blotches ; each scale with a darker edge ; dorsal and anal fins in the male 

 blackish, with dull orange blotches, and edged anteriorly with yellowish ; 

 female paler, the fins nearly plain. Pacific coast of North America, in 

 water of moderate depth; British Columbia to Lower California. This 

 small flounder is one of the commonest species on the Pacific coast, being 

 found in water of 10 fathoms or more depth in all localities from the Mex- 

 ican boundary to British Columbia. Although much larger in size than 

 any other species of the genus, it rarely exceeds 2 pounds in weight. In 

 its deciduous scales and soft flesh it much resembles Lyopsetta exilis and 

 Atheresthes stomias, 2 species which are often taken in company with 

 it. Of all the species of Citharichthys, this one has the most extended 

 range to the northward, (sordidus, sordid, from its dull coloration.) 



