Relevant synonyms Solea (Microchirus) boscanion Misidentification None Meristic formula D, 65-83; A, 51-64; P, 4-7/3-6; LL, 64-79

SHORT DESCRIPTION Body oval. Both eyes on the right side. Dorsal fin origin in front of vertical of upper eye. Anal fin origin below pectoral fin. Upper pectoral fin larger than lower pectoral fin. Caudal fin completely separate from dorsal and anal fins. The distance from upper eye to dorsal fin is greater than eye diameter. The anterior nostril on the upper side has backward-pointing tube. The anterior nostril on the lower side is not enlarged. color : upper side brownish-fawn to sandy yellow, with 3-5 darker cross-bands. Every 4th to 6th ray on the dorsal and anal fins is dark. size : 5-10 cm (max. 11 cm). DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS Monochirus hispidus: no pectoral fin on the blind side. Microchirus hexophthalmus and Microchirus ocellatus: distinct ocelli on upper side. Solea solea: black blotches on the upper distal part of pectoral fin on the eye side. Solea lascaris and S. kleini: enlarged with fringed rim anterior nostril on the blind side, its diameter greater than the body scales. Synaptura lusitanica: dorsal and anal fins confluent by small membrane to caudal fin. Microchirus spp., Bathysolea profundicola, Buglossidium luteum and Dicologoglossa cuneata: pectoral fin on the blind side reduced to 2-3 rays. Pleuronectidae: free preoperculum margin. Other flat fishes families: eyes on the left side. BIOLOGY / ECOLOGY Feeds probably on benthic invertebrates. Eggs and larvae planktonic. habitat : benthic on sandy or muddy substrates at depths of 10-200 m.

1st MEDITERRANEAN RECORD 1998, Gulf of Cadiz, Spain. DISTRIBUTION Worldwide : Eastern Atlantic coast from Gulf of Cadiz, Spain to Angola. Mediterranean : five specimens were recorded as Solea (Microchirus) boscanion from the Iberian coast (Western Mediterranean). ESTABLISHMENT SUCCESS Rare. speculated reasons for success : - MODE OF INTRODUCTION Via Gibraltar. IMPORTANCE TO HUMANS None.

KEY REFERENCES Desoutter M., 1987. Status de Microchirus boscanion Chabanaud, 1926 et de Buglossidium luteum (Risso, 1810) (Pisces, Pleuronectiformes, Soleidae). Cybium, 11: 427-439. Desoutter M., 1994. Révision des genres Microchirus, Dicologlossa et Vanstraelenia (Pleuronectidae, Soleidae). Cybium, 18: 215-249. Massutí E., J.A. Reina-Hervás, D. Lloris and L. Gil de Sola, 2002. First record of Solea (Microchirus) boscanion (Osteichthyes: Soleidae) in the Mediterranean Sea, with data on other sympatric soleid species. J. of the Marine Biology Association U.K., 82: 907-911.   Quéro J.C., M. Desoutter and F. Lagardère, 1986. Soleidae. In: Whitehead P.J.P., M.L. Bauchot, J.C. Hureau, J. Nielsen and E. Tortonese (eds.). Fishes of the North-eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean. Paris, Unesco, pp. 1308-1324. FEEDBACK / COMMENTS TO AUTHORS

Last update of the species sheet: June 2004 ©ciesm 2002