FISHES OF NEW YORK 725 



or four known species are similar in appearance to the species 

 of p i t h a r i c li t h y s , and they inhabit the same waters. 

 The larval form is translucent and symmetric, as in Plato-' 

 p h r y s , M o n o 1 e n e , and Arnoglossus. 



364 Etropus microstomns (Gill) 

 SmaUmouthed Flounder 



•Citharichthys mici'ostomus Gill, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila, 223, 1864, Bees- 

 ley's Point N. J.; Bean, Bull. U. S. F. C. VII, 135, 1888, Great Egg 

 Harbor Bay N. J.; Joed an, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus. 332, 1890; Goode & 

 Bean, Oceanic Ichth. 446, 1896. 



Etropus microstomns Jordan & Goss, Rep. U. S. F. C. for 1886, 278, 1889; 

 Bean, 19tli Rep. C'omm. Fish. N. Y. 247, 1890. 



Body ovate. The depth of the body is contained two and one 

 tenth times in its length, which is three and one half times the 

 length of the head. Mouth small, very oblique, the gape curved; 

 maxillary two and two thirds times in length of head, reaching 

 beyond middle of orbit; snout projecting; eyes small, even, 

 shorter than snout, about six in head, separated by a narrow 

 ridge, which is concave and scaleless anteriorly; teeth all small, 

 front teeth of upper jaw wide set, much larger than posterior, 

 which are close together and very small, teeth of lower jaw 

 lew, wide apart; gill rakers short and strong, 13 below angle; 

 pectorals short, less than half length of head; scales large, 

 those on middle of sides posteriorly largest. D. 80; A. 61; Lat. 

 1. 45. Individuals from Great Egg Harbor bay have: D. 74; 

 A. 55; scales 41 to 42. 



Olive brownish, usually with large blotches of darker; a 

 series of distinct, obscure, blackish blotches along the basal 

 portions of the anal and dorsal fins. Size small. Tropical 

 America, north to Long Island occasionally in summer. 



The smallmouthed flounder was first described many years 

 :ago by Dr Gill, from a specimen obtained on the New Jersey 

 €oast. The fish was not seen again till we collected it in Great 

 South bay, where it was found in moderate numbers at Fire 

 Island, and near Blue Point cove Lifesaving station in Septem- 

 ber 1884. Since that time it has been found sufficiently common 

 in various parts of Great Egg Harbor bay, N. J., during August 



