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Red tonguesole (Cynoglossus joyneri) — Cynoglossidae

Red tonguesole

Cynoglossus joyneri
Family: Cynoglossidae

The Red tonguesole (Cynoglossus joyneri) is a saltwater fish of the family Cynoglossidae that grows up to 39 cm.

Length
39.4 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
20.0–70.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Solitary
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like)
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom
Danger
Harmless
Range
Asia: China, Taiwan/Ch Taipei, Hong Kong, Japan, Ryukyu Is., Korea (South) and others
Edibility
Commonly eaten

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Description

The Red tonguesole is a tonguesole (Cynoglossidae) from coastal waters of the northwest Pacific, off East Asia. The species grows to about 39 cm and has an elongate, tongue-shaped, strongly flattened, brown body with both eyes on the left side and a downcurved snout. As a bottom-dweller it lies half-buried on sand and mud bottoms and searches for small worms and crustaceans. It is a food fish. The fish is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Red tonguesole?

The Red tonguesole has an elongate, eel-like body and is mainly brown.

Where does the Red tonguesole live?

The Red tonguesole lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around sand or mud bottom. Asia: China, Taiwan/Ch Taipei, Hong Kong, Japan, Ryukyu Is., Korea (South) and others

How big does the Red tonguesole get?

The Red tonguesole grows to a maximum of about 39 cm.

Is the Red tonguesole dangerous to humans?

No, the Red tonguesole is harmless to humans. This species is harmless to humans. No specific first aid is needed. Still handle the fish with care: mind the fin rays and the sharp edges of the gill cover, and rinse any scratch with clean water and cover it. For a dirty or deep wound check tetanus status.

Is the Red tonguesole edible?

Yes, the Red tonguesole is commonly eaten.

More photos

Red tonguesole (Cynoglossus joyneri) — Cynoglossidae — 2
iNaturalist ((c) orcinusss, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Red tonguesole (Cynoglossus joyneri) — Cynoglossidae — 3
Wikimedia Commons — Ishizaki Yūshi (Public domain) [illustratie]
Red tonguesole (Cynoglossus joyneri) — Cynoglossidae — 4
iNaturalist ((c) 小戴菊, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Red tonguesole (Cynoglossus joyneri) — Cynoglossidae — 5
iNaturalist ((c) fhvc, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Fin

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All data

Identification

English name
Red tonguesole sourced
Scientific name
Cynoglossus joyneri
Family
Cynoglossidae
Other names
Red tonguesole; Red tongue sole verified

Appearance

Size class
Medium verified
Max length (cm)
39.4 verified
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like) sourced
Dominant colour
Brown sourced
Tail shape
Rounded inferred

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom sourced
Min depth (m)
20.0 verified
Max depth (m)
70.0 verified
Natural range
Asia: China, Taiwan/Ch Taipei, Hong Kong, Japan, Ryukyu Is., Korea (South) and others sourced
Origin
Native inferred

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore inferred
Diet (detail)
Small fishes, crustaceans and invertebrates inferred
Social behaviour
Solitary inferred
Territorial
No inferred
Reproduction
Separate sexes inferred
Sexual dimorphism
No inferred
levensduur_max_jaar
5.0 verified
Seasonality
Present year-round in its habitat; no pronounced seasonality known. inferred

For anglers

Edibility
Commonly eaten inferred
Fishing method
Bottom fishing with natural bait (worm, shrimp or fish) on or just above the seabed. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless verified
First aid
This species is harmless to humans. No specific first aid is needed. Still handle the fish with care: mind the fin rays and the sharp edges of the gill cover, and rinse any scratch with clean water and cover it. For a dirty or deep wound check tetanus status. verified

Status & sources

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

Same genus Cynoglossus

More from the family Cynoglossidae

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