372 
SCANDINAVIAN FISHES. 
Genus SOLEA. 
Body elliptical and , with the exception of the blind side of the snout , entirely covered with small ctenoid scales, 
continued over the vertical fins, which are separate from each other. Anal fin without the anal spine. Commence- 
ment of the dorsal fin on the snout. Eyes, as a rule, on the right side of the body, the upper ( transferred ) eye 
being situated farther forward than the lower. Tip of the snout round and curving only slightly over the tip of 
the lower jaw ( forming no recurved, hook). No vomerine or palatine teeth. Lateral line on each, side of the body 
simple and usually straight. 
With this limitation — based on Gunther's opinion 
— the germs Solea comprises about 40 species from the 
tropical and the north temperate seas, and shows con- 
siderable variety of' form. The form varies from oblong 
(tongue-shaped) to broad elliptical, with perfect and 
well-developed pectoral fins on both sides or with these 
fins reduced - — either on the blind side or on both 
— and with the ventral fins both entirely free from the 
anal fin or with the ventral fin of the eye side united 
by a membrane to the first ray of that fin. It has, 
therefore, been proposed to divide the genus into several 
subgenera, tvhich still pass into each other through 
intermediate forms. One of these proposed subgenera, 
in which the Sole, the type of the genus, is included, 
is characterized by the oblong body, the depth of which 
measures at most 2 / 5 of the length to the base of the 
caudal fin, the well-developed pectoral and ventral fins, 
of almost equal size on both sides of the body and 
with the rays covered for at least half their length by 
the scales, the entire freedom of the ventral fins from 
the anal fin, and the straightness of the lateral line 
behind the head. This subgenus would contain only 
a few species from the east of the Atlantic and the 
Mediterranean. 
THE SOLE (sw. tungan). 
SOLEA VULGARIS. 
Plate XX, fig. 2. 
Depth of the body greatest in the females, least in the males and young specimens, and varying between about 
30 a and 35 % of the length thereof. Length of the head greatest in the females, and varying between about l(i 
and 19 % of that, of the body. Length of the pectoral fins greatest in the males, only slightly less on the blind 
fide than on the eye side, and varying between about 33 and 40 % of that of the head. Length of the ventral 
fins in proportion to that of the body about the same in the males and females, and varying between about. 26 
and 28 % of that of the head. Nostrils of the eye side set, close beside each other and near the margin of the 
upper lip, the anterior tubular and the posterior sunk in close to the lower eye. Nostrils of the blind, side far 
apart, the anterior tumid and conical — without, wide opening or fimbrice at the opening — and set at, about an 
equal distance from the tip of the snout, the corner of the month or the posterior nostril, which is somewhat 
farther from the corner of the mouth and just behind the perpendicular therefrom. 
R. hr. 7(6—8); D. 70 — 84 6 ; A. 54— 67 c ; P. 1 + 6 1. 7 1. 8; 
V. 5 d ; C. x+14+.v; Lin. lat. ca 140 e ; Vert. 10 + 39. 
Syn. BovyXtoooog, Athen., Buglossus , Rondel.; Solea, Ovid,, Plin., 
cett. vide Art. et Bonap. 
Pleuronectes oblongus, maxilla superiore longiore, squamis utrin- 
que asperis, Art., Gen., p. 18; Syn., p. 32; Spec., p. 60; 
Lin., Fn. Suec., ed. I, p. 112, No. 299; It. Wgot., p. 178. 
Pleuronectes Solea, Lin., Syst. Nat., ed. X, tom. I, p. 270; 
Njlss., Prodr. Ichth. Scand., p. 60; Schagerstr., Pbysiogr. 
a According to Lilljeborg, sometimes (in young specimens from the Mediterranean) 26 °/. 
h Sometimes 87, according to Gottsche, or 97, according to Day. 
r Sometimes 73. according to Lilf.j., or 83, according to Day\ 
d 4 — 6, according to Kr0yer. 
e 110 — 142, according to Steindachner ; 160, according to Gunther. Krgyer counted about 130. 
