Cynoglossus

Common Names

Members of the genus Cynoglossus are commonly referred to as tongue soles, due to their long, narrow, tongue-like shape. They are also known by other names, including:

• Sand soles
• Solefishes
• Tonguefishes

Characteristics

Cynoglossus species share a number of distinctive characteristics that set them apart from other flatfish:

• Elongated, narrow body: The body is typically much longer than it is wide, giving it a tongue-like appearance.
• Small, pointed mouth: The mouth is located at the anterior end of the body and is small and pointed.
• Eyes on the right side of the body: Like all flatfish, Cynoglossus species have both eyes on one side of their head, typically the right side. This adaptation allows them to lie flat on the seabed and see their surroundings.
• Lack of pelvic fins: Cynoglossus species lack pelvic fins, a distinguishing feature from other flatfish families.
• Scaleless or sparsely scaled: The skin is often scaleless or sparsely scaled, depending on the species.
• Dorsal fin extending almost the entire length of the body: The dorsal fin extends from the head to the tail, covering nearly the entire upper side of the fish.
• Anal fin also long: The anal fin runs along the underside of the body, similar in length to the dorsal fin.

Environment

Cynoglossus species inhabit a wide range of environments, including:

• Sandy bottoms: They are most commonly found on sandy or muddy bottoms in coastal and offshore waters.
• Estuaries: Some species can tolerate brackish water conditions and are found in estuaries.
• Depths up to 100 meters: They can occur at depths ranging from the intertidal zone to over 100 meters.

References

For more information about the genus Cynoglossus, please refer to the following resources:

• FishBase
• WoRMS
• NCBI Taxonomy