Yellowbelly flounder
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 Drawing by Dr Tony Ayling
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| Rhombosolea leporina Günther, 1862 |
The yellowbelly flounder, Rhombosolea leporina, is a flatfish of the genus Rhombosolea, found around New Zealand in shallow enclosed waters such as estuaries, harbours, mudflats, and sandflats, in waters less than 50 m in depth. Their length is from 25 to 50 cm.
The yellowbelly flounder 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. The eyes and scales are small. 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 dark green on the back with darker mottling, and yellowish on the undersurface.
The yellowbelly flounder eats worms, small crustaceans, and organic matter found in mud. Like all flounder it is a popular foodfish.
[edit] References
- "Rhombosolea leporina". FishBase. Ed. Ranier Froese and Daniel Pauly. January 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
