Day'S Tongue Sole

Inhabits sandy and muddy bottoms of the continental shelf. Feeds predominantly on bottom-living invertebrates.

Inhabits sandy and muddy bottoms of the continental shelf. Feeds predominantly on bottom-living invertebrates (Ref. 2872).

fisheries: commercial

Cynoglossus dispar Day

Cynoglossus dispar Day, 1877:434, pl. 96: fig. 2 [type-locality: Bombay]; 1889:456.—Norman, 1928:199 [Bombay, Madras].—Pradhan, 1964:458 [Bombay coast].

DESCRIPTION.—Based on 12 specimens, 167.0–350.0 mm SL, including the lectotype and paralectotypes of C. dispar.

Depth of body 24.81–32.58 (M = 29.87), length of head 18.83–21.35 (M = 20.17) percent of standard length. Diameter of eye 7.81–9.91 (M = 8.75), interorbital width 4.48–9.01 (M = 5.95) percent of length of head. Two; nostrils on ocular side, a simple one in anterior half of interorbital space, and a tubular one in front of lower eye. Snout rounded 16.42–31.53 (M = 26.60) percent of length of head, rostral hook, short and not extending to vertical through the front border of upper eye. Maxillary extending to beyond posterior border of fixed eye; angle of mouth extending to about or almost below vertical from hind border of fixed eye, much nearer to tip of snout than to branchial opening; snout to angle of mouth 38.81–52.25 (M = 43.50), angle of mouth to branchial opening 46.85–58.73 (M = 56.0) percent of length of head.

Scales: Ctenoid on ocular side except those on lateral lines; scales of blind side and those of lateral lines of ocular side cycloid.

Lateral-Line System: Two lateral lines on eyed side, 102–119 scales on median lateral line, 18–20 scales between them. Two lateral lines on blind side.

Interlinear scale rows 18 19 20

Frequencies 2 3 3

Fins: Dorsal with 109–113 rays, anal with 90–92 rays, caudal 10 in 5 specimens (radiographs).

Vertebrae: 53–54, comprising 9 abdominal and 44–45 caudal elements in 5 specimens (radiographs).

Coloration: Upper side brownish with somewhat darker irregular blotches, lower whitish in preserved specimens.

Size: Largest specimen examined, 389 (350 + 33) mm, is from Karachi, west end of Astola Island, trawled by Anton Bruun.

DISTRIBUTION.—India: Madras and Bombay; Pakistan: Astola Island, west of Karachi.

DIAGNOSIS AND

Cynoglossus dispar, commonly known as the Roundhead tonguesole is a species of tonguefish. It is commonly found in the Indian Ocean, particularly off the coast of India, and Pakistan.