MarLIN

information on the biology of species and the ecology of habitats found around the coasts and seas of the British Isles

Lemon sole (Microstomus kitt)

Distribution data supplied by the Ocean Biogeographic Information System (OBIS). To interrogate UK data visit the NBN Atlas.

Summary

Description

Microstomus kitt is a moderately sized flatfish reaching up to 30 cm (rarely up to 45 cm) in length. It lies left-handed with its eyes on the left side of its body and is therefore not a member of the sole family. It has a deep oval body with a small head and a very small mouth. It has a lateral line with only a slight curve above the pectoral fin. The dorsal and anal fins are smoothly curved and reach as far back as the tail. The eye side is marbled brown to grey in colour often spotted or blotched with both paler and darker marks.

Recorded distribution in Britain and Ireland

Widely distributed through the British Isles and Ireland but most commonly found in the English Channel and Irish Sea.

Global distribution

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Habitat

The lemon sole is a demersal species usually found on stony bottoms from depths of 20 m to 200 m.

Depth range

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Identifying features

  • Deep oval body up to 30 cm in length.
  • Left-handed with a small head and very small mouth.
  • Smoothly curved dorsal and anal fins.
  • No space between tail fin and dorsal and anal fins.
  • Pelvic fin close to the anal fin.
  • Marbled colouration with both darker and paler blotches.

Additional information

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Listed by

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Further information sources

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Bibliography

  1. Froese, R. & Pauly, D., 2007. Fishbase. A global information system on fishes. [On-line] http://www.fishbase.org, 2008-02-18

  2. Howson, C.M. & Picton, B.E., 1997. The species directory of the marine fauna and flora of the British Isles and surrounding seas. Belfast: Ulster Museum. [Ulster Museum publication, no. 276.]

  3. National Biodiversity Network (NBN) Atlas website. Available from: http://www.nbnatlas.org.  Accessed 01 April 2017

  4. OBIS,  2018. Global map of species distribution using gridded data. Available from: Ocean Biogeographic Information System. www.iobis.org. Accessed: 2018-07-21

  5. Whitehead, P.J.P., Bauchot, M.-L., Hureau, J.-C., Nielson, J. & Tortonese, E. 1986. Fishes of the North-eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean. Vol. I, II & III. Paris: United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO).

Citation

This review can be cited as:

Barnes, M.K.S. 2008. Microstomus kitt Lemon sole. In Tyler-Walters H. and Hiscock K. (eds) Marine Life Information Network: Biology and Sensitivity Key Information Reviews, [on-line]. Plymouth: Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom. [cited 21-07-2018]. Available from: http://www.marlin.ac.uk/species/detail/164

Last Updated: 02/06/2008