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Soleichthys microcephalus (Günther, 1862)

Smallhead sole
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Soleichthys microcephalus   AquaMaps   Data sources: GBIF OBIS
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Image of Soleichthys microcephalus (Smallhead sole)
Soleichthys microcephalus
Picture by Graham, K.

Classification / Names Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes(genus, species) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa

Teleostei (teleosts) > Pleuronectiformes (Flatfishes) > Soleidae (Soles)
Etymology: Soleichthys: Latin, solea = sandal (shoe) + Greek, ichthys = fish (Ref. 45335).
More on author: Günther.

Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range Ecology

Marine; brackish; demersal; depth range 3 - 43 m (Ref. 76812). Subtropical; 30°S - 34°S (Ref. 76812)

Distribution Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Point map | Introductions | Faunafri

Southwest Pacific: warm-temperate New South Wales, Australia.

Size / Weight / Age

Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 22.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 9002)

Short description Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics

Dorsal soft rays (total): 71 - 84; Anal soft rays: 61 - 71; Vertebrae: 43 - 45. This species is distinguished from its congeners by the following characters: vertebrae 43-45; dorsal-fin rays 71-84; anal-fin rays 61-71; lateral-line scales 81-89; ocular-side pigmentation pattern consists of 8-10 dark-brown to black, mostly complete crossbands on the body, with these bands noticeably wider than the alternating lighter-colored crossbands; 3 dark brown crossbands continuous across head; 2 conspicuous white spots in longitudinal series on the ocular-side midline; 2 elongated ocular-side pectoral-fin rays of nearly equal length or with the second fin ray longer than first; small scales on bases and proximal halves of elongated ocular-side pectoral-fin rays (Ref. 76812).

Biology     Glossary (e.g. epibenthic)

Found in estuaries and harbors, usually buried in muddy substrate (Ref. 9002). Move with undulating body when disturbed, reminiscent of distasteful flatworm, thus possibly deterring predators (Ref. 9002).

Life cycle and mating behavior Maturities | Reproduction | Spawnings | Egg(s) | Fecundities | Larvae

Main reference Upload your references | References | Coordinator | Collaborators

Munroe, T.A. and S.B. Menke, 2004. Two new soleid flatfishes (Pleuronectiformes: Soleidae: Soleichthys) from Australian waters, with a re-description of Soleichthys microcephalus (Günther). Rec. Aust. Mus. 56:247-258. (Ref. 76812)

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435)

  Least Concern (LC) ; Date assessed: 25 January 2021

CITES

Not Evaluated

CMS (Ref. 116361)

Not Evaluated

Threat to humans

  Harmless





Human uses

FAO - Publication: search | FishSource |

More information

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Summary page | Point data | Common names | Photos

Internet sources

AFORO (otoliths) | Aquatic Commons | BHL | Cloffa | BOLDSystems | Websites from users | Check FishWatcher | CISTI | Catalog of Fishes: genus, species | DiscoverLife | ECOTOX | FAO - Publication: search | Faunafri | Fishipedia | Fishtrace | GenBank: genome, nucleotide | GloBI | Google Books | Google Scholar | Google | IGFA World Record | MitoFish | Otolith Atlas of Taiwan Fishes | PubMed | Reef Life Survey | Socotra Atlas | Tree of Life | Wikipedia: Go, Search | World Records Freshwater Fishing | Zoological Record

Estimates based on models

Preferred temperature (Ref. 123201): 19.7 - 22.5, mean 21.3 °C (based on 12 cells).
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref. 82804):  PD50 = 0.5039   [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00977 (0.00473 - 0.02021), b=3.07 (2.90 - 3.24), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref. 93245).
Trophic level (Ref. 69278):  3.5   ±0.5 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives
Resilience (Ref. 120179):  Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref. 59153):  Low vulnerability (12 of 100).