SOLEICHTHYS HETERORHINOS - (BLEEKER, 1856)
Picture courtesy: David Lecornu
Actinopterygii (Gigaclass) > Actinopteri (Class) > Teleostei (Subclass) > Carangiformes (Order) > Pleuronectoidei (Suborder) > Soleidae (Family) > Soleichthys (Genus)
Sole d'Esope, Sole striée, Sole à marges bleues, Sole à marges noires, Banded sole, Black-tip sole, Aesop sole, tiger sole, Sazanami-ushinoshita, サザナミウシノシタ, 异吻角鳎, 異吻長鼻鰨,
Synonymes
Aesopia heterohinos (Bleeker, 1856)
Aesopia heterorhina (Bleeker, 1856)
Aesopia heterorhinos (Bleeker, 1856)
Solea heterorhina (Bleeker, 1856)
Solea heterorhinos (Bleeker, 1856)
Solea heterorhinus (Bleeker, 1856)
Solea lineata (Ramsay, 1883)
Soleichthys heterohinos (Bleeker, 1856)
--------------------------
Description
Dorsal soft rays (total): 87-102; Anal soft rays: 72-87; Pectoral fin rays (branched) eyed side: 7-9, blind side: 6-8; Pelvic fin rays: 4; Lateral line scales (eyed side): 102-122; Vertebrae: 50. Somewhat elongate (body depth: 2.7-3.5 in SL), head short (6.0-6.8 in SL); Eyes small, very close together, interorbital space minimal; Tubular anterior nostril longer than eye diameter; Ventral edge of head with a fringe of cirri. Ctenoid scales. Max. length: 18.0 cm TL. Depth range: 1 - 20 m.
Color
Adult with white to tan brown color with numerous dark brown lines or narrow bars across body and dorsal and anal fins; Dorsal and anal fins with white margin and broad blue to blackish submarginal zone; Pale caudal fin with black outer border.
Etymology
Soleichthys: from ancient Greek, solea = sole or sandal + from Greek, ichthys = fish. Referring to their resemblance to a flat shoe.
heterorhinos: from Greek, heteros = other, different + from Greek, rhin or rhinos = beak, bill. Referring to very long tubular anterior nostril, a characteristic of the genus.
Original description: Solea heterorhina Bleeker, 1856 - Type locality: Ambon Island, Molucca Islands, Indonesia.
Distribution
Biology
Occurs in shallow protected sandy areas of lagoon and seaward reefs. Buries itself beneath the sand, exposing only its eye and tubular nostril. Moves extremely fast when disturbed and is difficult to detect when it resettles. Apparently more active at night. Like other species of Soleichthys, it swims with an undulating motion, mimicking flatworms which are toxic. It occasionally makes its way into the aquarium trade. Soleichthys heterorhinos exhibits biofluorescence, that is, when illuminated by blue or ultraviolet light, it re-emits it as red, and appears differently than under white light illumination. Biofluorescence potentially assists intraspecific communication and camouflage.
Similar species
Aesopia cornuta (Kaup, 1858) - Reported from Red Sea; Indo-West Pacific: South Africa, East Africa, Persian Gulf, Seychelles and Madagascar east to Indonesia, north to southern Japan, south to northern Western Australia.
Soleichthys dori (Randall & Munroe, 2008) - Reported from Red Sea endemic: Gulf of Aqaba and Dahlak Archipelago.
Zebrias quagga (Kaup, 1858) - Reported from Indo-West Pacific: Madagascar, Gulf of Aden and Persian Gulf east to Philippines and Papua New Guinea, north to northern Vietnam and southern China, south to northern Australia.
Last update: 1, April 2023
Actinopterygii (Gigaclass) > Actinopteri (Class) > Teleostei (Subclass) > Carangiformes (Order) > Pleuronectoidei (Suborder) > Soleidae (Family) > Soleichthys (Genus)
Sole d'Esope, Sole striée, Sole à marges bleues, Sole à marges noires, Banded sole, Black-tip sole, Aesop sole, tiger sole, Sazanami-ushinoshita, サザナミウシノシタ, 异吻角鳎, 異吻長鼻鰨,
Synonymes
Aesopia heterohinos (Bleeker, 1856)
Aesopia heterorhina (Bleeker, 1856)
Aesopia heterorhinos (Bleeker, 1856)
Solea heterorhina (Bleeker, 1856)
Solea heterorhinos (Bleeker, 1856)
Solea heterorhinus (Bleeker, 1856)
Solea lineata (Ramsay, 1883)
Soleichthys heterohinos (Bleeker, 1856)
--------------------------
Description
Dorsal soft rays (total): 87-102; Anal soft rays: 72-87; Pectoral fin rays (branched) eyed side: 7-9, blind side: 6-8; Pelvic fin rays: 4; Lateral line scales (eyed side): 102-122; Vertebrae: 50. Somewhat elongate (body depth: 2.7-3.5 in SL), head short (6.0-6.8 in SL); Eyes small, very close together, interorbital space minimal; Tubular anterior nostril longer than eye diameter; Ventral edge of head with a fringe of cirri. Ctenoid scales. Max. length: 18.0 cm TL. Depth range: 1 - 20 m.
Color
Adult with white to tan brown color with numerous dark brown lines or narrow bars across body and dorsal and anal fins; Dorsal and anal fins with white margin and broad blue to blackish submarginal zone; Pale caudal fin with black outer border.
Etymology
Soleichthys: from ancient Greek, solea = sole or sandal + from Greek, ichthys = fish. Referring to their resemblance to a flat shoe.
heterorhinos: from Greek, heteros = other, different + from Greek, rhin or rhinos = beak, bill. Referring to very long tubular anterior nostril, a characteristic of the genus.
Original description: Solea heterorhina Bleeker, 1856 - Type locality: Ambon Island, Molucca Islands, Indonesia.
Distribution
Indo-West Pacific: East Africa, east to Marshall Islands, Tonga and Samoa, north to Kagoshima Prefecture (southern Japan) and southern Sea of Japan, south to New South Wales (Australia) and New Caledonia.
Biology
Occurs in shallow protected sandy areas of lagoon and seaward reefs. Buries itself beneath the sand, exposing only its eye and tubular nostril. Moves extremely fast when disturbed and is difficult to detect when it resettles. Apparently more active at night. Like other species of Soleichthys, it swims with an undulating motion, mimicking flatworms which are toxic. It occasionally makes its way into the aquarium trade. Soleichthys heterorhinos exhibits biofluorescence, that is, when illuminated by blue or ultraviolet light, it re-emits it as red, and appears differently than under white light illumination. Biofluorescence potentially assists intraspecific communication and camouflage.
Similar species
Aesopia cornuta (Kaup, 1858) - Reported from Red Sea; Indo-West Pacific: South Africa, East Africa, Persian Gulf, Seychelles and Madagascar east to Indonesia, north to southern Japan, south to northern Western Australia.
Soleichthys dori (Randall & Munroe, 2008) - Reported from Red Sea endemic: Gulf of Aqaba and Dahlak Archipelago.
Zebrias quagga (Kaup, 1858) - Reported from Indo-West Pacific: Madagascar, Gulf of Aden and Persian Gulf east to Philippines and Papua New Guinea, north to northern Vietnam and southern China, south to northern Australia.
Last update: 1, April 2023