410 



University of California Publications. 



[Geology 



does not belong to the genus Bothus as now denned, but its 

 relations with that genus must be close. Evesthes seems more 

 primitive than Bothus. In Paralichthys calif ornicus there are 

 but 35 vertebrae, and this number is probably general in Hippo- 

 glossina, Xystreurys, Pseudorhombus, and other allies. The 

 Atlantic species of Paralichthys have in general more vertebrae 

 (37 to 40), and more fin-rays. 



None of these genera has so large a body-cavity as Evesthes, 

 Paralichthys approaching most nearly. Psettodes, an Asiatic 

 genus, also indifferently dextral and sinistral, also approaches 

 Evesthes, but in this genus the dorsal fin begins at the nape. 



Evesthes jordani stands unique in its very large head and 

 strong jaws ; strong teeth ; direct mouth ; large body-cavity ; in 

 the small number of the vertebrae, the first five of which are 

 greatly reduced and ventrally curved (a feature of the codfish), 

 the strength of the succeeding ones carried well backward ; and 

 in the relatively small number of fin-rays. 



While the discovery of this species may not preclude the 

 possibility that the sinistral, large-mouthed flounders of the 

 turbot tribe are the most primitive, yet it seems to me that the 

 dextral forms with a large head, large body-cavity, and a very 

 large mouth, will be found most primitive of all. Evesthes is 

 certainly a more primitive type than Bothus or Paralichthys. 



The group of turbots should rather be called Pleuronectinae 

 than Psettinae. Dr. Jordan calls my attention, in his valuable 

 editorial reading of this article, to the fact that in the first re- 

 striction of the genus Pleuronectes, that of Fleming (1828), the 

 name was restricted to the turbot (Pleuronectes maximus) . The 

 name Pleuronectes therefore, under the rules of the International 

 Zoological Congress, should replace Psetta; and Pleuronectinae 

 would supersede Psettinae. 



Measurements. 



Length, anterior end of premaxillary to base of hypural 



Length, anterior end of premaxillary to first caudal vertebra 



268 mm. 



(13th) 



Length, total, including caudal fin 



Length, anterior end of premaxillary over dorsal curve to base 



148 



338 



of caudal fin 



300 



