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Spotted tonguesole (Paraplagusia guttata) — Cynoglossidae

Spotted tonguesole

Paraplagusia guttata
Family: Cynoglossidae

The Spotted tonguesole (Paraplagusia guttata) is a saltwater fish of the family Cynoglossidae that grows up to 21 cm.

Length
21 cm
Water
Saltwater
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Solitary
Body shape
Flatfish
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom
Danger
Harmless

Description

The spotted tonguesole is a tonguefish (Cynoglossidae) from shallow coastal and estuarine water of the Indo-West Pacific. The species grows to about 20 cm and has a strongly flattened, tongue-shaped body with both eyes on the left side, a down-curved mouth with fringed lips and brown spots for camouflage. As a bottom-bound fish it lies half-buried in sand and mud and searches for small worms, crustaceans and molluscs. The fish is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Spotted tonguesole?

The Spotted tonguesole has a flatfish-shaped body, is mainly brown and shows a spots pattern.

Where does the Spotted tonguesole live?

The Spotted tonguesole lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around sand or mud bottom.

How big does the Spotted tonguesole get?

The Spotted tonguesole grows to a maximum of about 21 cm.

Is the Spotted tonguesole dangerous to humans?

No, the Spotted tonguesole is harmless to humans.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Gevlekte tongschar sourced
English name
Spotted tonguesole sourced
Scientific name
Paraplagusia guttata
Family
Cynoglossidae

Appearance

Size class
Medium verified
Max length (cm)
21.0 verified
Body shape
Flatfish sourced
Dominant colour
Brown sourced
Pattern
Spots sourced
Tail shape
Rounded inferred

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom sourced
Origin
Native inferred

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore inferred
Social behaviour
Solitary inferred
Territorial
No inferred
Reproduction
Separate sexes inferred
Sexual dimorphism
No inferred

For anglers

Fishing method
Bodemvissen met natuurlijk aas (worm, garnaal of vis) op of vlak boven de bodem. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless verified

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

Same genus Paraplagusia

More from the family Cynoglossidae

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