12 Types Of Sole Fish - AZ Animals
A sole fish is a type of flatfish belonging to many different families. True sole fish are in the scientific family Soleidae, but many other families of fish are called sole as well. These bottom-dwelling creatures are found in temperate and tropical waters around the world. They typically have an elongated body with two eyes on one side and several fins along their backs and sides. Soles can be identified by their small mouths, short snouts, triangular-shaped caudal fin, and lack of scales or spines on their bodies.
The most common species of sole include Dover sole, lemon sole, petrale sole, rex sole, and sand dab. Each species has slightly different characteristics, but all share certain traits, such as a flattened body shape which allows them to move easily over sandy ocean bottoms where they feed upon invertebrates like clams and shrimp. Depending on the species, soles can range in size from a few inches up to three feet long!
12 Types of Sole Fish
Soleidae is a family of flatfishes that inhabit salty and brackish waters in the East Atlantic, Indian Ocean, and West and Central Pacific. Freshwater soles inhabit Africa, southern Asia, New Guinea, and Australia. There are 180 species in this family. Previously, soles from the Americas were categorized with Soleidae, but they have since been assigned to their own family, American soles (Achiridae). In addition to these, Halibut, Flounders, Turbot, and Plaice fish are all considered sole fish!
1. True Halibut
The true halibut are highly sought after by both commercial and recreational fishermen alike.
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True halibut Hippoglossus is a species of flatfish that is found in the North Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. It belongs to the family Pleuronectidae, which includes other flatfish such as flounder and sole. True halibut can reach between 6-15 feet in length, making them one of the largest benthic fish species on Earth. They have an oval-shaped body which helps them blend into their environment more effectively when they lie on the sea floor. They are bottom feeders, consuming crustaceans, smaller fish, and mollusks for sustenance. True halibut are highly sought after by both commercial and recreational fishermen alike due to its high-quality fleshy white meat with a firm texture.
2. Other Halibut
Greenland halibut are not considered to be true members of the genus Hippoglossus.
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While several species of fish share some physical characteristics with true halibut, they are not considered to be true members of the genus Hippoglossus. These include Greenland halibut, spotted halibut, and California halibut. In addition, other flatfish, such as flounder and sole also sometimes referred to as "halibut" when sold in markets or restaurants. However, these fish don't belong to the same family as true halibuts.
3. Plaice Fish
Plaice are bottom feeders, and their diet includes small crustaceans, worms, mollusks, and other invertebrates that live near the sea floor.
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A Plaice fish is a flatfish belonging to the Pleuronectidae family. It is one of the most common species of flatfish in Europe and can be found on sandy or muddy bottoms in shallow waters. Some species of Plaice fish live in Alaskan waters. The body shape is oval with rounded edges, usually having three orange spots that run down each side of its back. Its upper surface has an orange-red coloration, while its underside is white or cream-colored. Plaice are bottom feeders, and their diet includes small crustaceans, worms, mollusks, and other invertebrates that live near the sea floor. They can grow up to 17 inches long (with the biggest recorded at 39.4 inches) and weigh 2.5 pounds when mature. They have a long lifespan and live for around 50 years!
4. True Turbot
The true turbot fish has a diamond-shaped body with two eyes on one side, giving it the appearance of being 'right-eyed.'
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True turbot fish, scientifically known as Scophthalmus Maximus, is a flatfish species that belongs to the family of large-scaled sculpins. It is found mainly in the North East Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Seas. The true turbot fish has a diamond-shaped body with two eyes on one side, giving it the appearance of being 'right-eyed.' Its scales are small and embedded into its skin, ranging from light brown to grey in color. It can grow up to 3 feet in length and weigh up to 22 pounds. The true turbot fish feeds mostly on mollusks, crustaceans, and smaller fishes. Due to its firm white flesh, it is considered a delicacy among seafood lovers all over Europe and beyond.
5. Spiny Turbot
The name comes from their spiny scales, which are distributed over the entire body except for the belly area.
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Spiny turbot fish (Psettodidae) is a species of flatfish found in the Mediterranean and Eastern Atlantic oceans. They can grow up to 20-30 inches in length and have an oval body shape with large eyes and a broad head. The name comes from their spiny scales, which are distributed over the entire body except for the belly area. They feed mainly on small crustaceans, mollusks, and other invertebrates, as well as some plant material such as seaweed. Spiny turbot is considered a delicacy due to its firm white flesh that has a sweet taste when cooked. It is usually served grilled or baked whole with garlic and herbs or fried in butter or olive oil accompanied by potatoes, vegetables, or salad.
6. True Sole
The true sole have a characteristic salmon-gray coloration on the upper side of their body, while the underside is white or yellowish in hue.
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True sole, from the Soleidae family, is a flatfish species that typically inhabit shallow coastal waters. They are characterized by their oval-shaped bodies and thin fins, with both eyes located on the same side of their head. True soles have a characteristic salmon-gray coloration on the upper side of their body, while the underside is white or yellowish in hue. These fish exhibit unique swimming behavior as they undulate through the water like an eel and can reach sizes up to around one foot long when fully grown. True soles are highly sought after for commercial fishing purposes due to their mild flavor and firm flesh, which makes them ideal for many recipes such as baking, broiling, or frying.
7. American Sole
Sanddabs typically has an oval-shaped body with a light tan or brown coloration covered in dark spots and speckles.
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American sole fish Achiridae, commonly known as sand dabs, are small flatfish that can be found living in shallow water along the North American coast from Alaska to Mexico. Sanddabs typically has an oval-shaped body with a light tan or brown coloration covered in dark spots and speckles. They have two eyes that are located on one side of their head, which allows them to blend in with the sandy ocean floors they inhabit for protection from predators. The average size of this species is about 6 inches long, but some can grow up to 12 inches long depending on their habitat and food availability. Commonly caught by anglers, sanddabs have firm white flesh that has a delicate flavor making them popular for eating as well as being used in many different types of dishes due to their mild taste.
8. Tongue Sole
As its name implies, it also has a long, pointed snout that resembles a human tongue.
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A tonguesole fish is a flatfish that belongs to the Cynoglossidae family. It has an oval-shaped body and can be found in coastal areas of the eastern Pacific Ocean, from Alaska down to Mexico. The coloration of tonguesole varies from brownish-grey to plain white, with some having darker spots around their heads. As its name implies, it also has a long, pointed snout that resembles a human tongue. They are usually between 8-12 inches in length but can reach up to 26 inches under favorable conditions. Tongue soles feed mainly on small crabs, shrimp, and other invertebrates they find while digging through sand and mud on the seafloor. Their flattened bodies allow them to blend into their environment, making it harder for predators such as larger fish or seabirds to spot them easily.
9. Lefteye Flounder
The left eye flounder has an asymmetrical body, with both eyes located on the left side of its head.
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A lefteye flounder is a type of flatfish found in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans. It has an asymmetrical body, with both eyes located on the left side of its head. This species can reach from 2 to 5 feet in length and weigh up to 55 pounds. Its coloration varies from sandy brown to reddish-brown or yellowish-brown depending on its habitat and age. The upper body is usually covered with small scales, while the lower body has smooth skin without any scales, making it difficult for predators to detect them in their environment. They are carnivorous, feeding mainly on crustaceans and small fish like herring and anchovies, as well as mollusks such as clams and mussels. Lefteye flounders provide important food sources for humans throughout the world due to their abundance in most oceans around the globe.
10. Righteye Flounder
The right eye flounder has both eyes on its right side, which helps it blend into sandy bottoms, making it an excellent predator.
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A righteye flounder is a type of flatfish native to the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans as well as several other oceans. It has both eyes on its right side, which helps it blend into sandy bottoms, making it an excellent predator. The fish can grow up to 15 feet in length and have a lifespan of up to 8 years in captivity. They are active predators that feed mainly on crustaceans, mollusks, worms, and small fish they find burrowing below the sand. Righteye flounder can be caught by anglers using various methods. They use bottom trawling or lining with baited hooks during the spawning season. The flesh is mild-tasting and high in protein. They are ideal for eating fresh or cooked into dishes like sautéed fillets or baked whole with vegetables.
11. Large Tooth Flounder
The large tooth flounder has an oval-shaped body, and both its eyes are on the right side of its head. Its color can range from light grey to almost black, with white spots along its back.
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A large tooth flounder, also called sand flounder, is a species of flatfish that is found in temperate waters of several oceans. It has an oval-shaped body, and both its eyes are on the right side of its head. Its color can range from light grey to almost black, with white spots along its back. It has long pectoral fins and a pointed snout. This snout gives it a distinct appearance compared to other types of sole fish. Large tooth flounders feed mainly on small invertebrates such as worms, mollusks, and crustaceans. They can reach lengths up to 18 inches. They have been known to live up to 8 years in the wild.
12. Southern Flounder
The Southern flounder has two eyes on one side of the head and a light brown upper surface with dark spots.
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Southern flounder is a species of flatfish found in Antarctic waters and is recognizable by its large, diamond-shaped body. It has two eyes on one side of the head and a light brown upper surface with dark spots. Southern flounder are usually between 32 to 262 feet deep during the summer months. They move more shallow during winter months when the water temperature drops. They feed on crustaceans, mollusks, other small fish, worms, crabs, shrimps, and even jellyfish. Southern flounders reproduce through spawning. Spawning takes place in late spring or early summer when they migrate inshore to spawn over sandy or muddy bottoms at depths ranging from just above the intertidal zone up to 65 feet offshore. These fish have an average lifespan of about seven years. Some can live for up to 12 years under favorable conditions.
Summary of 12 Types of Sole Fish
| Common Name | Species |
|---|---|
| True Halibut | 2 species, Atlantic Halibut, and Pacific Halibut |
| Other Halibut | Includes 6 species, such as spotted halibut, arrowtooth halibut, bastard halibut, and others |
| Plaice Fish | 4 Species: European, American, Alaskan, and Scale-eyed plaice |
| True Turbot | Includes 1 species, Scophthalmus maximus |
| Spiny Turbot | Includes 3 species, Psettodes belcheri, Psettodes bennetti, and Psettodes erumei. |
| True Sole | Includes 135 species, such as Dover sole, yellow sole, and finless sole. |
| American Sole | Includes 28 species |
| Tongue Sole | Includes 138 species, such as natal tonguefish, sand tonguefish, and ripplefin tonguesole |
| Left Eyed Flounder | Includes 158 species, such as crested flounder, flowery flounder, and two spot flounder |
| Right Eyed Flounder | Includes 101 species, such as New Zealand flounder, peppered flounder, and ridged-eye flounder |
| Large-tooth Flounder | Includes 115 species, such as mimic sanddab, olive flounder, and speckled sanddab. |
| Southern Flounder | Includes 6 species, such as armless flounder and finless flounder. |
The photo featured at the top of this post is © Pablo Joanidopoulos/Shutterstock.com
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