no. 2082. FLOUNDERS AND SOLES FROM JAPAN— HUBBS. 457 



PLATOPHRYS MYRIASTER (Temminck and Schlegel). 



t? Platophrys circularis Regan, Trans. Linn. Soc, London, vol. 12, p. 26, fig. 3. — 

 V. Franz, Abh. bayer. Akad., 1910, p. 62, pi. 7, fig. 66. 



The descriptions and figures of Kegan and Franz both show clearly 

 that they had larval forms of a Platophrys. Franz's identification, 

 therefore, can not be accepted, and as his specimens agree with 

 P. myriaster in the fin formula and in having minute scales, they may 

 best be considered as the larval stage of that species. 



Three larval specimens with symmetrical eyes and scaleless body; 

 length to base of caudal 14, 18, and 22 mm. The largest has about 

 92 dorsal rays. Station 4927, surface, Vincennes Strait. Another 

 specimen, with minute scales just developing, was captured at the 

 surface, Station 4932, Vincennes Strait. 



Genus ENGYPROSOPON Gunther. 



Contrary to the description of Scaeops grandisquama and S. Tcobensis f 

 and of the genus Scaeops, 1 the teeth are not entirely uniserial, for 

 closer examination shows that in those species they are biserial, as 

 in Platophrys, and as usual in Engyprosopon. The gill-rakers vary 

 from short and few, + 5 to 7 in E. grandisquama and E. Jcobensis, 

 to 2 + 14 slender ones (in E. xystrias), E. hawaiiensis and E. xenan- 

 drus from the Hawaiian Islands being intermediate. It is therefore 

 impossible to separate Scaeops from Engyprosopon. E. moglcii 

 (Bleeker), the type-species, is figured from a female specimen. 



ENGYPROSOPON XYSTRIAS, new species. 

 Plate 25, fig. 3. 



Type-specimen. — Cat. No. 75672, U.S.N .M. A female 69 mm. long 

 from Albatross station 4931, Vincennes Strait, Japan, collected on 

 August 15, 1906, at a depth of 83 fathoms. 



This species differs from the two species of Engyprosopon previously 

 known from Japan, E. grandisquama (Temminck and Schlegel) and 

 E. Icobensis (Jordan and Starks), in having a larger number of gill- 

 rakers. E. xystrias has 2 + 14, E. grandisquama + 5 or 6, and 

 E. Icobensis + 7. It also differs in having the anterior premaxillary 

 teeth protruding outside the symphysis of the lower jaw. Other 

 differences are mentioned in the description. E. xenandrus Gilbert, 

 from the Hawaiian Islands, has 12 gill-rakers on the lower limb of the 

 first arch, and has uniserial teeth in the upper jaw. E. spilurus 

 (Gunther), from New Guinea, may be an allied species; it has dorsal, 

 90; anal, 66; scales, 47. In details of form, color, and scales, this 

 species shows a remarkably close resemblance to E. grandisquama. 



Length of head 0.25 of total length to base of caudal; depth, 0.53; 

 dorsal, 89; anal, 68; scries of scales, 35. 



* Bull. U. S. Fish Coium., vol. 22, 1902 (1904), p. 027. 



