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Spotted whiff (Citharichthys macrops) — Paralichthyidae

Spotted whiff

Citharichthys macrops
LC · Least Concern

The Spotted whiff (Citharichthys macrops) is a saltwater fish of the family Paralichthyidae that grows up to 20 cm.

Length
20 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
0.0–100.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Solitary
Body shape
Flat / disc-shaped
Substrate
Stone or rock
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Rarely eaten

Description

The spotted whiff (Citharichthys macrops) is a small flatfish of the family Paralichthyidae from the western Atlantic. Like other left-eyed flatfishes both eyes lie on the left side of the oval, strongly flattened body; the upper side is sandy-brown with dark spots for camouflage. The species reaches about 20 cm and inhabits hard sand bottoms from the water's edge to about 18 metres deep, sometimes to 90 metres. As a bottom dweller it often lies half-buried in wait and feeds on small crustaceans and other invertebrates. Owing to its small size the species has little fishery importance.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Spotted whiff?

The Spotted whiff has a flattened, disc-shaped body, is mainly brown and shows a spots pattern.

Where does the Spotted whiff live?

The Spotted whiff lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around stony or rocky ground.

How big does the Spotted whiff get?

The Spotted whiff grows to a maximum of about 20 cm.

Is the Spotted whiff dangerous to humans?

No, the Spotted whiff is harmless to humans.

Is the Spotted whiff edible?

The Spotted whiff is rarely eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Gevlekte schar sourced
English name
Spotted whiff verified
Scientific name
Citharichthys macrops
Family
Paralichthyidae
Other names
Spotted whiff verified

Appearance

Size class
Medium verified
Max length (cm)
20.0 verified
Body shape
Flat / disc-shaped sourced
Dominant colour
Brown inferred
Pattern
Spots inferred
Tail shape
Rounded inferred
Mouth position
Terminal inferred
Lips
Thin inferred
Barbels
No sourced
Dorsal fins
One continuous inferred
Dorsal spines
No sourced

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Stone or rock sourced
Min depth (m)
0.0 verified
Max depth (m)
100.0 verified
Origin
Native sourced

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore sourced
Social behaviour
Solitary inferred
Territorial
No inferred
Reproduction
Separate sexes sourced
Sexual dimorphism
No inferred

For anglers

Edibility
Rarely eaten sourced
Fishing method
Vissen met natuurlijk aas (vis, garnaal, worm) of kunstaas dicht bij rif- en rotsstructuren. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless sourced

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

Same genus Citharichthys

More from the family Paralichthyidae

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