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Ovate sole (Solea ovata) — Soleidae

Ovate sole

Solea ovata
Family: Soleidae

The Ovate sole (Solea ovata) is a saltwater fish of the family Soleidae that grows up to 10 cm.

Length
10 cm
Water
Saltwater
Behaviour
Solitary
Activity
Nocturnal
Body shape
Flat / disc-shaped
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Commonly eaten

Description

The Ovate sole is a sole (Soleidae) from coastal and estuarine water of the Indo-West Pacific. The species grows to about 12 cm and has a flattened, elongate-oval body with both eyes on the right side; the upper side is brown and matches the bottom, the underside is white. As a nocturnal bottom-dweller it lies buried by day on sand and mud bottoms and searches by night for worms, small crustaceans and molluscs. The fish is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Ovate sole?

The Ovate sole has a flattened, disc-shaped body and is mainly brown.

Where does the Ovate sole live?

The Ovate sole lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around sand or mud bottom.

How big does the Ovate sole get?

The Ovate sole grows to a maximum of about 10 cm. On average the species is around 9 cm.

Is the Ovate sole dangerous to humans?

No, the Ovate sole is harmless to humans.

Is the Ovate sole edible?

Yes, the Ovate sole is commonly eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Ovale tong sourced
English name
Ovate sole sourced
Scientific name
Solea ovata
Family
Soleidae
Other names
Ovate sole; Ovate-Sole; Sole verified

Appearance

Size class
Small verified
Max length (cm)
10.0 verified
Average length (cm)
8.5 verified
Body shape
Flat / disc-shaped sourced
Dominant colour
Brown sourced
Tail shape
Rounded inferred

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom sourced
Origin
Native inferred

Behaviour & biology

Social behaviour
Solitary inferred
Territorial
No inferred
Activity
Nocturnal sourced
Reproduction
Separate sexes inferred
Sexual dimorphism
No inferred

For anglers

Edibility
Commonly eaten inferred
Fishing method
Klein van stuk en nauwelijks een hengelsportdoel; wordt vooral incidenteel of als aasvis gevangen. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless verified

Status & sources

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

Same genus Solea

More from the family Soleidae

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