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Longtail tonguesole (Symphurus pelicanus) — Cynoglossidae

Longtail tonguesole

Symphurus pelicanus
Family: Cynoglossidae

The Longtail tonguesole (Symphurus pelicanus) is a saltwater fish of the family Cynoglossidae that grows up to 9 cm.

Length
9 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
24.0–133.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Solitary
Body shape
Flatfish
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom
Danger
Harmless

Description

The Longtail tonguesole is a tonguesole (Cynoglossidae) from sand and mud bottoms of the western Atlantic. The species grows to about 10 cm and has a strongly flattened, tongue-shaped body with both eyes on the left side, a down-curved mouth and a finely mottled, brown upper side for camouflage. As a bottom-bound fish it lies half-buried and searches for small worms, crustaceans and molluscs. The fish is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Longtail tonguesole?

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

Where does the Longtail tonguesole live?

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

How big does the Longtail tonguesole get?

The Longtail tonguesole grows to a maximum of about 9 cm.

Is the Longtail tonguesole dangerous to humans?

No, the Longtail tonguesole is harmless to humans.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Pelikaan-tongschar sourced
English name
Longtail tonguesole sourced
Scientific name
Symphurus pelicanus
Family
Cynoglossidae
Other names
Longtail tonguefish sourced

Appearance

Size class
Small verified
Max length (cm)
9.0 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
Min depth (m)
24.0 verified
Max depth (m)
133.0 verified
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
Klein van stuk en nauwelijks een hengelsportdoel; wordt vooral incidenteel of als aasvis gevangen. 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 Symphurus

More from the family Cynoglossidae

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