FISHES —PLEURONECTIDAE-PAROPHRYS VETULUS. 
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PAROPHRYS, Girard. 
Gen. Char. —Eyes large, situated on the right side. Interocular space very narrow. Mouth moderate ; snout sub-conical ; 
lower jaw longest. Teeth small, inconspicuous, occurring on the left side of the jaws only. Origin of dorsal fin situated 
opposite the pupil ; dorsal and anal fins not extending to the caudal ; latter posteriorly sub-truncated ; a spine at the origin of 
the anal. Surface of head scaly. Scales very small and cycloid in structure. Lateral line but slightly raised above the 
pectoral fins. 
Syn. — Parophrys, Grd. in Proc. Acad. Nat. Sc. Philad. VII, 1854, 139. 
The body is elongated, sub-elliptical, resembling somewhat in its outline some species of 
Platessa and Solea, the head of the latter excepted. The presence of teeth on the colorless 
side of the jaws is a trait partaken by Solea also, hence another relationship between these two 
genera. The gape of the mouth is oblique upwards, which, added to the sub-conical protrusion 
of the snout, gives the head the physiognomy of Platessa. The spine which is observed at the 
anterior margin of the anal is a trait which occurs in other genera. 
PAROPHRYS VETULUS, Grd. 
Spec. Char. —Body quite elongated and sub-elliptical; peduncle of the tail slender. Posterior extremity of maxillary 
extending to a vertical line drawn inwardly to the anterior rim of the orbit. Origin of anal fin placed posteriorly to the base 
of ihe pectorals. Dorsal and anal fins nearly even posteriorly. Scales minute ; lateral line very conspicuous. Color of body 
and head reddish ash ; fins olivaceous, maculated. 
Syn. — Parophrys vetulus, Grd. in Proc. Acad. Nat. Sc. Philad. VII, 1854, 140, 142, & 155. • 
The average size of the specimens before us is about five inches. The elongated body is quite 
tapering posteriorly, less so anteriorly, where it is terminated by a rather small head and an 
acute snout, the peduncle of the tail being slender. The head itself constitutes somewhat 
less than the fourth of the total length, to which the greatest depth stands as one to three. 
The mouth is small, the lower jaw being the longest, and the posterior extremity of the 
maxillary overruns slightly a vertical line drawn across the anterior rim of the orbit. The 
teeth, which are minute, exist on the left side of the jaws only. The eyes are situated on the 
right side; they are very large horizontally, elliptical, and closely approximated, being 
separated by a very narrow and elevated ridge. Their longitudinal diameter enters four times 
in the length of the side of the head. The origin of the dorsal takes place opposite the pupil 
of the upper eye, and terminates at a short distance from the insertion of the caudal. The 
origin of the anal corresponds to a vertical line drawn posteriorly to the insertion of the 
pectorals, terminating evenly with the dorsal ; a small and acute horizontal spine may be 
observed at its anterior margin, and directed forwards. The caudal is slender, posteriorly 
truncated, and contained about five times and a half in the total length. The pectoral fin of 
the left side-is somewhat smaller than that on the right, both being rather slender. The 
ventrals are small, inserted opposite the base of the pectorals, with their anterior edge somewhat 
in advance to the latter. Their posterior extremity projecting beyond the vent, and somewhat 
the origin of the anal. There are six branchiostegals on the right, and five on the left side. 
Br. VI: V; D 86 ; A 64 ; C 3, 1, 7, 7, 1, 3 ; V 6 ; P 11. 
The middle rays of the ventrals and pectorals of either side exhibit bifurcated rays, though 
less deeply than those of the caudal. The rays of the dorsal and anal are, as usual, undivided. 
The scales are very small, and extend over the head and portion of the caudal fin. They are 
20 n 
