Morphology Data of Solea solea
Identification keys
Abnormalities
Main Ref. Quéro, J.-C., M. Desoutter and F. Lagardère, 1986
Appearance refers to Male; Female
Bones in OsteoBase

Sex attributes

Specialized organs no special organs
Different appearance males alike females
Different colors males alike females
Remarks Females are larger than males of the same age.

Descriptive characteristics of juvenile and adult

Striking features flatfish
Body shape lateral short and / or deep
Cross section flattened
Dorsal head profile clearly convex
Type of eyes more or less normal
Type of mouth/snout more or less normal
Position of mouth sub-terminal/inferior
Type of scales cycloid scales
Diagnosis

This species is distinguished by the following characters: body oval, flat and asymmetric; eyes located on right side of head, except in reversed individuals (Ref. 57416). Upper eye less than its own diameter from dorsal profile of head (Ref. 4710). Anterior nostril on blind side not enlarged (Ref. 4710, 57416), but surrounded by small rim (Ref. 57416). Its distance from front margin of head 1.5-1.9x in its distance from cleft of mouth; anterior nostril on eyed side with backward-pointing tube not or only barely reaching front border of lower eye (Ref. 4710). Preopercle covered by skin and opercle entirely scaled; mouth arched and inferior; dorsal and anal fins lacking spinous rays and united to caudal fin by well-developed membrane, but caudal peduncle distinct; dorsal fin originating on horizontal axis through upper eye; pectoral fin on eyed side asymmetrical, with 7-10 rays, and on blind side slightly shorter; straight part of lateral line visible, supratemporal part slightly arched above eyes; body covered with rectangular ctenoid scales (Ref. 57416).

Description: snout rounded ending in a fleshy lobe; head covered with small villosities (Ref. 57416). Colouration: eyed side more or less dark greyish-brown, with broad and diffuse dark spots; dorsal and anal fins showing same ground colour as body; pectoral fins with blackish spot on distal half; posterior part of caudal fin darker; blind side whitish (Ref. 57416).

Ease of Identification

Meristic characteristics of Solea solea

Lateral Lines 1 Interrupted: No
Scales on lateral line
Pored lateral line scales 116 - 165
Scales in lateral series
Scale rows above lateral line
Scale rows below lateral line
Scales around caudal peduncle
Barbels 0
Gill clefts (sharks/rays only)
Gill rakers
on lower limb
on upper limb
total
Vertebrae
preanal
total 46 - 52

Fins

Dorsal fin(s)

Attributes extending over most of the back length
Fins number 1
Finlets No. Dorsal   0 - 0
Ventral  0 - 0
Spines total 0 - 0
Soft-rays total 69 - 97
Adipose fin absent

Caudal fin

Attributes more or less truncate; confluent

Anal fin(s)

Fins number 1
Spines total 0 - 0
Soft-rays total 53 - 80

Paired fins

Pectoral Attributes  more or less normal
Spines     0
Soft-rays   6 - 10
Pelvics Attributes  more or less normal
Position    jugular  behind origin of D1
Spines     0
Soft-rays   
Main Ref. (e.g. 9948)
Glossary ( e.g. cephalopods )
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