Home · Cynoglossidae · Halfspotted tonguefish
Halfspotted tonguefish (Symphurus atramentatus) — Cynoglossidae

Halfspotted tonguefish

Symphurus atramentatus
Family: Cynoglossidae
NE · Not Evaluated

The Halfspotted tonguefish (Symphurus atramentatus) is a saltwater fish of the family Cynoglossidae that grows up to 14 cm.

Length
14.4 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
1.0–200.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Solitary
Activity
Nocturnal
Body shape
Flat / disc-shaped
Substrate
Stone or rock
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Not eaten

Description

The halfspotted tonguefish is a small tonguefish from the eastern Pacific. The species grows to about 14 cm and has the typical, strongly asymmetric flatfish body with both eyes on one side and a continuous fin fringe around the body. As a bottom-dweller it lives buried in soft sandy and muddy bottoms and feeds on small benthic invertebrates. The fish is harmless to humans and has not been evaluated by the IUCN (NE).

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Halfspotted tonguefish?

The Halfspotted tonguefish has a flattened, disc-shaped body, is mainly brown and shows a plain pattern.

Where does the Halfspotted tonguefish live?

The Halfspotted tonguefish lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around stony or rocky ground.

How big does the Halfspotted tonguefish get?

The Halfspotted tonguefish grows to a maximum of about 14 cm. On average the species is around 12 cm.

Is the Halfspotted tonguefish dangerous to humans?

No, the Halfspotted tonguefish is harmless to humans.

Is the Halfspotted tonguefish edible?

The Halfspotted tonguefish is not usually eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Halfgevlekte tongvis verified
English name
Halfspotted tonguefish verified
Scientific name
Symphurus atramentatus
Family
Cynoglossidae
Other names
Inkspot tonguefish verified

Appearance

Size class
Small verified
Max length (cm)
14.4 verified
Average length (cm)
12.0 verified
Body shape
Flat / disc-shaped sourced
Dominant colour
Brown inferred
Pattern
Plain sourced
Tail shape
Rounded inferred
Mouth position
Terminal sourced
Lips
Thin sourced
Barbels
No sourced
Dorsal fins
One continuous sourced
Dorsal spines
No sourced

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Stone or rock sourced
Min depth (m)
1.0 verified
Max depth (m)
200.0 verified
Origin
Native verified

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore sourced
Social behaviour
Solitary sourced
Territorial
No sourced
Activity
Nocturnal sourced
Reproduction
Separate sexes sourced
Sexual dimorphism
No sourced

For anglers

Edibility
Not eaten sourced
Fishing method
Geen doelsoort voor de hengelsport; hooguit incidentele vangst of bruikbaar als aasvisje. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless sourced

Status & sources

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

Same genus Symphurus

More from the family Cynoglossidae

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