492 Suborder Heterosomata 
found in the North Pacific. Verasper variegatus of Japan is 
notable for its bright coloration, the lower side being largely 
orange-red. 
In the bastard halibuts, Paralichthys, the eyes and color 
are on the left side. These much resemble the true halibut, 
but are smaller and inferior as food, besides differing in details 
of structure. The Monterey halibut (Paralichthys californicus) 
is the largest of these, reaching a weight of sixty pounds. This 
species and one other from California (Xystreurys hiolepts), 
normally left-sided, differ from all the other flounders in having 
ade 
Fic. 437.—Halibut, Hippoglossus hippoglossus Linneus. Marmot I., Alaska. 
the eyes almost as often on the right side as on the left side, 
as usual or normal in their type. The summer flounder (Para- 
lichthys dentatus) replaces the Monterey halibut on the Atlantic 
Coast, where it is a common food-fish. Farther south it gives 
way to the Southern flounder (Paralichthys lethostigma) and 
the Gulf flounder, Paralichthys albigutta. In Japan Para- 
lichthys olivaceus is equally common, and in western Mexico 
Paralichthys sinaloe. The four-spotted flounder of New Eng- 
land, Paralichthys oblongus, belongs to this group. Similar 
species constituting the genus Pseudorhombus abound in India 
and Japan. 
The Plaice Tribe: Pleuronectine.—The plaice tribe pass. grad- 
ually into the halibut tribe, from which they differ in the 
small mouth, in which the blunt teeth are mostly on the blind 
side. The eyes are on the right side, the vertebra are numerous, 
and the species live only in the cold seas, none being found in 
the tropics. In most of the Pacific species the lateral line 
