THE FISHES OF PORTO RICO. 
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Genus 155. PLATOPHRYS Swainson. 
Eyes and color on left side. Body ovate, strongly compressed; month of the large type, but com- 
paratively small; maxillary one-third or less length of head; teeth small, subequal, in one or two 
series; no teeth on vomer or palatines. Interorbital space broad and concave, broadest in adult males. 
Gillrakers moderate. Dorsal fin beginning in front of eye, all its rays simple; ventral of colored side 
on ridgeof abdomen; caudal convex behind; pectoral of left side with usually one or more filamentous 
rays, longest in male. Scales very small, ctenoid, adherent; lateral line with a strong arch in front. 
Coloration usually variegated. The sexual differences are greater than usual among flounders, and 
the different sexes have often been taken for different species. As a rule, in males, pectoral fin on left 
side is much prolonged, interorbital area is much widened and very concave, and there are some 
tubercles about snout and lower eye. The young fishes, as is usually the case, resemble adult females. 
Lately, Dr. Emery has shown that the larval flounder, known as Peloria heckeli, is in all probability 
the young of Pleiironectes podas. The generic name, Coccolus, based on forms slightly more mature 
than those called Peloria, probably belongs here also. We have seen no larval forms so young as those 
which have been described as Peloria heckeli. We have, however, examined small transparent flounders, 
one with eyes quite symmetrical, taken in the Gulf Stream, and another with eyes on left side, taken 
at Key West. Both these may be larvte of Platophrys ocellatus. The figures published by Emery 
seem to make it almost certain that, the corresponding European forms belong to P. podas, although 
some doubt as to this is expressed by Facciola. 
The species of Platophrys are widely distributed through warm seas, no tropical waters being 
wholly without them; all are extremely closely related and are distinguished with difficulty. On the 
other hand, variations due to differences of age and sex are greater than in any other of our genera. 
Jordan & Evermann recognize 7 American species belonging to this genus. One of these (P. 
maculifer) is shown by our specimens to represent one of the younger stages of P. lunatus, and another 
(P. ellipticus) is a stage of the same species. Besides P. lunatus, the only other species known to occur 
in Porto Rico is P. ocellatus. 
а. Anal rays, at least anteriorly, each with a spinule at base (these formed by a slight widening of tip of interhaemal 
spines, each being covered by a little rough scale); front of dorsal with similar projections. 
б. Color brown, with pale rounded spots; fins dotted with brown; a faint dark spot at first one-third of lateral line; 
snout with horny points; mouth small, maxillary reaching front of eye spinosus 
aa. Anal rays without spinules at their base. 
c. Anterior profile of head convex before interorbital area, the very short snout scarcely forming a reentrant angle at 
its base; form elliptic-ovate, outlines more regular than in P. lunatus. 
d. Dorsal rays 85 to 95. 
e. Scales not very small, about 75 pores in lateral line; no blue markings, at least in young. 
/. Mouth smaller, maxillary 3.33 in head. Color light-grayish, tinged with reddish, with small round spots of darker 
gray, and with lighter rings inclosing spaces of ground-color ocellatus, 274 
cc. Anterior profile of head strongly concave before interorbital area, the projecting snout leaving a marked reentrant 
angle above it. 
g. Mouth not very small; maxillary 3 in head. Color dark-olive, with many rings, curved spots, and small round dots 
of sky-blue edged with darker on body, these largest near middle of sides, where some are as large as eye; 3 
obscure dark blotches on straight part of lateral line lunatus, 275 
274. Platophrys ocellatus (Agassiz). 
Head 4; depth 1.5; eye (lower) 3.4; snout 5; maxillary 3.33; D. 80; A. 60; scales 75 (pores); 
vertebrae 37. Body ovate, deep anteriorly, profile descending steeply, snout conspicuously projecting. 
Mouth very small and oblique, maxillary reaching vertical from the front of lower eye, 3.33 in head; 
tip of lower jaw entering profile. Teeth fine, conical, in two series in upper jaw, one in lower, those of 
the outer row in upper jaw larger and more widely separated than those of inner series. Snout very 
short, equaling interorbital width. Interorbital space narrow, deeply concave, closely scaled. Eyes 
large, lower in advance of upper; gillrakers obsolete, 7 rudiments on horizontal branch of anterior 
arch. Scales moderate, not extending on tins, those of colored side ctenoid, on blind side smooth; arch 
of lateral line short and high. Dorsal tin beginning opposite anterior nostril, rays nearly uniform in 
length, longest about one-half head; pectoral of colored side 4.75 in length; ventral of colored side 
beginning under middle of lower eye, with 6 rays; right ventral with 5 rays. 
F. C. B. 1900—21 
