JAPANESE EISHES. 
625 
116. Clidoderma asperrmum (Schlegel). 
A larval flounder, 33 mm. in length, which we take to be the young of this species, since it 
agrees in fin rays, was collected in Matsushima Bay, station 3770. It is covered on both sides with 
small spinules of about equal size, those of blind side finer and more sparse than on eyed side; no 
enlarged plates, but groups of 4 or 5 spinules scattered over the eyed side probably represent them; 
body outline rounder and anterior curves more convex. Pectoral very short, broader than long, 
covered on base by a sheath of spinules, beyond which the short rays project fanlike. 
Color, light cream everywhere with blended brown spots; irregular in size, position, and intensity 
of color. 
VERJEQUA Jordan & Starks, new genus 
Verseqka Jordan & Starks, new genus of Pleuronectidx ( achne ). 
Allied to Microslomus and Limandci. 
Body rather elongate, covered with very fine cycloid scales; lateral line with a small arch in 
front, without accessory dorsal branch; mouth small and with about 7 large blunt teeth in a single 
row on blind side; eyes close together, separated by a high naked ridge which is continued backward; 
gillrakers very small, not numerous; no anal spine; caudal rounded; eyes and color on right side. 
117. Veraequa achne Jordan & Starks, new species. (PI. 7, fig. 1.) 
Head 4.33 in length; depth 2.87; D. 85; A. 69; scales 135; upper eye 3.16 in head; snout from upper 
eye 4; pectoral 2; ventral 4; highest dorsal rays 2; caudal 1.1. 
Form rather slender, the outlines forming low even curves; anterior upper outline of head 
unbroken and continuous with body curve; mouth very small, the maxillary reaching a little past 
front of lower eye but scarcely to edge of pupil; 7 large and very blunt teeth, set in a single row 
on blind side only; eyes narrowly separated by a high naked ridge, the lower the more anterior; 
interorbital ridge continued backward and upward along lower margin of upper eye, forming a high, 
conspicuous, smooth ridge; a slight angle on lower edge where it turns upward, but no tubercles 
developed; nostrils close together, in short broad tubes, anterior reaching to edge of preorbital; gill-slit 
stopping at upper edge of pectoral; gillrakers very small, 8 on lower limb of arch. Scales very fine, 
everywhere cycloid; very small nonimbricated scales present on dorsal and anal nearly to tips of rays 
except on the brown streak behind each ray; caudal thickly covered with similar scales; scales on 
pectoral rays only; on base of ventral only on both rays ami membrane; small imbedded scales on 
snout; lateral line perfectly straight and horizontal to tip of pectoral where it turns up and forms a 
low but conspicuous arch, the cord of its curve 3 times its height. Dorsal beginning slightly on blind 
side above middle of eye; low anteriorly, gradually growing higher to beginning of its last third or 
fourth where it reaches its greatest height; pectorals rounded, that of eyed side, in our specimen, very 
slightly longer than that of blind side; ventral short and rather broad, the second ray longest, making 
the fin pointed; caudal broadly rounded. 
Color slaty brown, mottled with darker brown blended into the ground color; a brown streak 
behind and partly on each dorsal and anal ray; caudal uniform dark brown; pectoral with dark brown 
membrane. 
A single specimen, the type, dredged at station 3772, Matsushima Bay, in 79 fathoms. It is 18 
cm. in length, and is numbered 51447 U. S. Nat. Mus. 
(axvr/, a whiff of foam.) 
118. Microstomus kitaharae Jordan & Starks, new species. (PI. 7, fig. 2.) 
Head 4.25 to 4.5 in length; depth 3.5 to 3.75; D. 91 to 96; A. 75 to 83; scales 87 to 96 (pores) ; eye 
2.83 to 3.16 in head; snout from upper eye 4.33 to 4.75; maxillary 3.75 to 4; pectoral of eyed side 
1.83 to 2.33, of blind side 2.25 to 3; ventral 3.5; caudal 1.25. 
Anterior upper profile evenly convex ; the upper eye protruding above it; lower eye much in advance 
of upper, the eyes separated by a very narrow ridge; maxillary short, rather strongly curved, reaching 
to below anterior edge of pupil of lower eye; teeth rather blunt, in a single row, forming a continuous 
even cutting edge; a small bony knob developed below tip of mandible; anterior nostril of eyed side 
in a short broad tube; gillrakers very short, 8 of them on lower limb of arch; scales everywhere 
cycloid, the snout, maxillary, and mandible naked; lateral line conspicuous, curving up just behind tip 
of pectoral above upper end of gill opening, but not at all arched; dorsal beginning above posterior 
margin of pupil of upper eye; the longest dorsal and anal rays are at beginning of posterior fourth of 
F. C. E. 1902—40 
