PLATOrilRYS LKOPARDINUS. 225 



The temptation to place this form as a variety of C. o-anthostigma Gilb. is 



great, though that species is said to have fewer rays in the pectorals, fewer 

 scales, and no canines. 



Platophrys leopardinus- 



Rlwmhoidichlhys leopardinus Giint., 1862, Cat., IV., 434. 



D. 88-92; A. 67-70; V. 6 ; P. 11 1., 10 r. ; C. 17; LI. 86-92; Ltr. 

 35-37 + 40-44. 



Sinistral, much compressed, greatest depth contained twice to two and 

 one sixth times in the total length. Head deeper than long ; length four 

 and three fifths times in the total ; forehead concave about the nostril, in 

 the profile and between the eyes. Interorbital space varying in width from 

 that of the eye with half of the upper eye above the lower to twice as wide 

 with little or none of the upper eye directly above the lower ; slightly con- 

 cave, with a low ridge in a strip of naked skin from the forward portion of 

 one eye to that of the other. Snout shorter than the eye, blunt, with a 

 more or less prominent bony, in cases spine-like, process on the left side. 

 Mouth short, curved, cleft reaching below the anterior border of the eye. 

 Teeth small, in two or more series, outer on the maxillae little larger. Eyes 

 large, two sevenths as long as the head, one and one, half times the length 

 of the snout. A tubular nostril forward of the orbital ridge above the 

 lower orbit. Gill rakers short, small, tubercular, seven plus eight. Lateral 

 line with an abrupt curve above the base of the pectoral as long as the 

 orbit and as high as the eve. 



Scales small, ctenoid on the left side, cycloid on the right, eighty-two 

 to eighty-five in a series from the head to the bases of the caudal rays. 



Dorsal origin on the right side near the nostrils ; anal origin slightly 

 forward of a vertical from the hinder margin of the operculum ; dorsal little 

 deeper than anal ; anteriorly on both fins the rays protrude beyond the 

 membrane, forming a fringe. Pectoral of the left side larger, longer ; that 

 of the right side with fewer rays and shorter. Left ventral more than twice 

 as long as the right and extending forward to the isthmus ; right ventral 

 narrow, opposed to the hinder part of the left. 



Grayish brown, with numerous whitish spots on body and fins. Some of 



