C-O sole

The C-O sole (Pleuronichthys coenosus) is a flatfish of the family Pleuronectidae. It is a demersal fish that lives on flat bottoms and rocky areas at depths of between 18 and 350 metres (59 and 1,148 ft). Its native habitat is the subtropical waters of the eastern Pacific, ranging from Sitka, Alaska in the north to San Quintín, Baja California in the south. It can grow up to 36 centimetres (14 in) in length.[1]

C-O sole
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Pleuronectiformes
Family: Pleuronectidae
Genus: Pleuronichthys
Species:
P. coenosus
Binomial name
Pleuronichthys coenosus
Girard, 1854
Synonyms

Pleuronichthys nephelus Starks & Thompson, 1910

Nomenclature

The C-O sole gets its name from the markings on its caudal fin: a crescent shape and a ring, which resemble a letter C and a letter O.[2]

Description

The C-O sole is a right-eyed flatfish with large, bulbous eyes located near the tip of the snout. The upper surface is mottled light to dark brown, with occasional white spots; there is usually a prominent mid-body dark spot with a pale patch behind it. The underside is light. There is a dark crescent-shaped marking and a large dark spot on the caudal fin, which together resemble the letters C and O.[2]

Diet

The diet of the C-O sole consists mainly of zoobenthos polychaetes, bivalves and amphipods.[1]

References
  1. Ed. Ranier Froese; Pauly, Daniel (15 July 2009). "Pleuronichthys coenosus". Fishbase. Retrieved 2009-11-24.
  2. "Fish Gallery - West Coast". REEF Fish Galleries. REEF. 2007. Archived from the original on 2010-08-03. Retrieved 2009-11-24.
  • Photos of C-O sole on Sealife Collection


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