Paralichthys, Girard, 1858

Díaz de Astarloa, Juan M., Munroe, Thomas A., Béarez, Philippe, Gonzalez-Castro, Mariano & Castellini, Damián L., 2018, External morphology, postcranial and appendicular osteology of three southwestern Atlantic flatfishes (Paralichthys, Paralichthyidae), and comparisons with other congeneric species, Neotropical Ichthyology 16 (2), pp. 1-21 : 14-15

Key to species of Paralichthys of the Pacific Ocean

1a- Cycloid scales on both sides of body............................ 2

1b- Ctenoid scales on ocular side of body .......................... 3

2a. Gill rakers on lower limb of first gill arch 10 to 14. Anal-fin rays 55 to 58................. Paralichthys woolmani

2b. Gill rakers on lower limb of first gill arch 18 to 21. Anal-fin rays 59 to 64................ Paralichthys aestuarius

3a. Gill rakers on lower limb of first gill arch 9 to 10 ....... ........................................... Paralichthys fernandezianus

3b. Gill rakers on lower limb of first gill arch 14 to 23 ...... 4

4a. Three distinct ocelli on ocular side of body; two (one above and one below) the beginning of the straight part of the lateral line. A third ocellus on the straight part of the lateral line just anterior to the caudal peduncle ...... Paralichthys adspersus

4b. No disctinct ocelli on body, but some dark blotches may be present............................................................... 5

5a. Dorsal-fin rays 59 to 64. Anal-fin rays 47 to 51. Gill rakers on lower limb of first gill arch 14 to 16. Several dark blotches on ocular side of body............................ .......................................................... Paralichthys delfini

5b. Dorsal-fin rays 67 to 85. Anal-fin rays 51 to 66. Gill rakers on lower limb of first gill arch 14 to 23. Ocular side of body mottled or spotted with paler and darker spots or blotches ............................................................ 6

6a. Lateral-line scales 80 to 90. Dorsal-fin rays 71 to 80. Anal-fin rays 58 to 66. Gill rakers on lower limb of first arch 18 to 23........................... Paralichthys microps

6b. Lateral-line scales 101 to 126. Dorsal-fin rays 67 to 84. Anal-fin rays 51 to 65. Gill rakers on lower limb of first arch 14 to 22........................................................... 7

7a. Gill rakers on lower limb of first arch 14 to 16. Dorsalfin rays 77 to 81. Lateral-line scales 119 to 126........... ..................................................... Paralichthys olivaceus

7b. Gill rakers on lower limb of first arch 18 to 22. Dorsalfin rays 67 to 76. Lateral-line scales 101 to 110........... ................................................. Paralichthys californicus