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Lee's tonguefish (Symphurus leei) — Cynoglossidae

Lee's tonguefish

Symphurus leei
Family: Cynoglossidae

The Lee's tonguefish (Symphurus leei) is a fish of the family Cynoglossidae that grows up to 10 cm.

Length
10 cm
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Solitary
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom
Danger
Harmless

Description

Lee's tonguefish is a tonguefish (Cynoglossidae) from coastal and estuarine water of the western Pacific. The species grows to about 10 cm and has a flattened, elongate, leaf-shaped body tapering to a point at the rear, with both eyes on the left side and a down-curved snout. As a bottom-dweller it lies buried on sand and mud bottoms and snaps at small worms and crustaceans. The fish is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Lee's tonguefish?

The Lee's tonguefish is mainly brown.

Where does the Lee's tonguefish live?

The Lee's tonguefish is mostly found around sand or mud bottom.

How big does the Lee's tonguefish get?

The Lee's tonguefish grows to a maximum of about 10 cm.

Is the Lee's tonguefish dangerous to humans?

No, the Lee's tonguefish is harmless to humans.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Lees tongtong sourced
English name
Lee's tonguefish sourced
Scientific name
Symphurus leei
Family
Cynoglossidae

Appearance

Max length (cm)
10 sourced
Dominant colour
Brown sourced
Tail shape
Straight inferred

Habitat & distribution

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

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 Symphurus

More from the family Cynoglossidae

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