Southern lemon sole
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| iSouthern lemon sole | ||||||||||||||
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| Pelotretis flavilatus Waite, 1911 |
The southern lemon sole, Pelotretis flavilatus, is a righteye flounder, the only species in the genus Pelotretis, found around New Zealand in enclosed waters such as estuaries, harbours, mudflats, and sandflats, in waters less than 385 m in depth. Their length is from 25 to 50 cm.
The southern lemon sole is a righteye flounder meaning it has both eyes on the right side of the head and lies on its left side. It has the typical flattened oval shape of the flounder with the dorsal and anal fins forming a fringe around most of the body, and a distinctive rounded snout. The eyes are small and placed well forward on the head, and the scales are small and rough to the touch. This species does not have a rostral hook, or elongated pectoral fin rays, and these are diagnostic characteristics.
They swim by means of slight undulations of their fins and the outer edges of the body, keeping in contact with the bottom and seeming to "slide".
The colouring is grey or brown, usually with irregular darker markings, and are white on the undersurface.
The southern lemon sole eats worms, small crustaceans, and other small benthic animals. It is a popular foodfish.
[edit] References
- "Pelotretis flavilatus". FishBase. Ed. Ranier Froese and Daniel Pauly. February 2006 version. N.p.: FishBase, 2006.
- Tony Ayling & Geoffrey Cox, Collins Guide to the Sea Fishes of New Zealand, (William Collins Publishers Ltd, Auckland, New Zealand 1982) ISBN 0-00-216987-8
