New Zealand flounder
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| Rhombosolea plebeia (Richardson, 1843) |
The New Zealand flounder, Rhombosolea plebeia, is a righteye flounder of the genus Rhombosolea, found around New Zealand in shallow waters down to depths of 100 m. Their length is from 25 to 45 cm.
The New Zealand flounder is a righteye flounder meaning it has both eyes on the right side of the head and lies on its left side. It does not have the typical flattened oval shape of the flounder, instead it is diamond-shaped with the dorsal and anal fins forming a fringe around most of the body.
The scales are small, but the eyes are comparatively large. 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 back colouring depends on the substratum on which the fish is living but is usually grey, greenish or brown, often with faint darker markings, with a pure white underside.
[edit] References
- "Rhombosolea plebeia". FishBase. Ed. Ranier Froese and Daniel Pauly. March 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
