Platessa Orbignyana, _Val._ in D’Orb. Voy. dans l’Amer. Mérid. Atl.
Ichth. Pl. 16. fig. 1.
FORM.—Oval; greatest breadth two and a half times in the length. Eyes
on the left side, near together, and equally in advance. Teeth in a
single row, sharp-pointed, moderately strong, rather widely
separate: posterior extremity of the maxillary cut nearly square.
Dorsal commencing in a line with the eyes, and leaving a space
between it and the caudal. The lateral line takes a sweep over the
pectoral. Upper or eye side of the body slightly rough, with the
scales finely ciliated; under side smooth, the scales on this side
not ciliated.
COLOUR.—“Above dirty reddish brown; beneath faint blue: iris
yellow.”—D.
Length 8 inches 9 lines.
Habitat, Bahia Blanca, where it is said to be plentiful.
This species agrees so well with the figure of the _P. Orbignyana_ in
D’Orbigny’s Voyage, that I have little hesitation in considering it the
same,—but as no description of this last has been yet published, it is
still possible I may be mistaken.