Table of Contents
Overview
Comprehensive Description
Biology
Lives most often on stony bottoms. Feeds on a variety of small invertebrates, but polychaetes seem to dominate. Apparently they do not feed in wintertime (Ref. 9900). Marketed fresh and frozen; eaten steamed, fried, broiled, microwaved and baked (Ref. 9988).
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Cooper, J.A. and F. Chapleau 1998 Monophyly and intrarelationships of the family Pleuronectidae (Pleuronectiformes), with a revised classification. Fish. Bull., U.S., 96(4):686-726. (Ref. 30193)
http://www.fishbase.org/references/FBRefSummary.php?id=30193&speccode=4236
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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.
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Description
The lemon sole is a right-eyed flatfish which is similar in shape to the dab but has a smoother and more slimy skin and a fleshier body. The head and mouth are very small hence the name Microstomus which is latin for small mouth. The upper surface is mottled red-brown, pink and orange with flecks of yellow and green. Usually there is a large orange blotch behind the pectoral fin. The underside is white. Adult fish can reach a maximum length of 70cm however most are between 20-30cm. The lemon sole is similar in shape to the dab but has a smoother, more slimy and more colourful skin. The only other flatfish likely to be encountered on rocky surfaces are the topknots, however these are all left-eyed.
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Distribution
Western Baltic Sea, North Sea, Eastern North Atlantic.
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Belgian Exclusive Economic Zone, British Isles, European waters (ERMS scope), Irish Exclusive economic Zone, Oosterschelde, Portuguese Exclusive Economic Zone, Spanish Exclusive Economic Zone, Swedish Exclusive Economic Zone, United Kingdom Exclusive Economic Zone, Wimereux
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Müller, Y. (2004). Faune et flore du littoral du Nord, du Pas-de-Calais et de la Belgique: inventaire. [Coastal fauna and flora of the Nord, Pas-de-Calais and Belgium: inventory]. Commission Régionale de Biologie Région Nord Pas-de-Calais: France. 307 pp.
http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=sourcedetails&id=9269
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Hayward, P.J.; Ryland, J.S. (Ed.) (1990). The marine fauna of the British Isles and North-West Europe: 1. Introduction and protozoans to arthropods. Clarendon Press: Oxford, UK. ISBN 0-19-857356-1. 627 pp.
http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=sourcedetails&id=1
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Hostens, K.; Hamerlynck, O. (1994). The mobile epifauna of the soft bottoms in the subtidal Oosterschelde estuary: structure, function and impact of the storm-surge barrier. Hydrobiologia 282-283: 479-496
http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=sourcedetails&id=1142
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ILVO epifauna en demersale visdata: epifauna en demersale vismonitoring op het Belgisch deel van de Noordzee sinds 1979
http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=sourcedetails&id=132964
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Cattrijsse, A.; Vincx, M. (2001). Biodiversity of the benthos and the avifauna of the Belgian coastal waters: summary of data collected between 1970 and 1998. Sustainable Management of the North Sea. Federal Office for Scientific, Technical and Cultural Affairs: Brussel, Belgium. 48 pp.
http://www.marinespecies.org/mollusca/aphia.php?p=sourcedetails&id=61
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Hamerlynck, O.; Hostens, K.; Arellano, R.V.; Mees, J.; Vandamme, P.A. (1993). The mobile epibenthic fauna of soft bottoms in the Dutch Delta (south-west Netherlands): spatial structure. Pp 343-358 in Meire, P.; Vincx, M. (Ed.): Marine and estuarine gradients: ECSA 21: Proceedings of the 21th Symposium of the Estuarine and Coastal Sciences Association held in Gent, 9-14 september 1991. Neth. J. Aquat. Ecol., 27(2-4). Netherlands Society of Aquatic Ecology: Bilthoven, The Netherlands.
http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=sourcedetails&id=1140
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van der Land, J.; Costello, M.J.; Zavodnik, D.; Santos, R.S.; Porteiro, F.M.; Bailly, N.; Eschmeyer, W.N.; Froese, R. (2001). Pisces, in: Costello, M.J. et al. (Ed.) (2001). European register of marine species: a check-list of the marine species in Europe and a bibliography of guides to their identification. Collection Patrimoines Naturels, 50: pp. 357-374
http://www.marbef.org/data/aphia.php?p=sourcedetails&id=1411
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MEDIN (2011). UK checklist of marine species derived from the applications Marine Recorder and UNICORN, version 1.0.
http://www.marinespecies.org/asteroidea/aphia.php?p=sourcedetails&id=149081
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Guiry, M.D. & Guiry, G.M. (2011). Species.ie version 1.0 World-wide electronic publication, National University of Ireland, Galway (version of 15 March 2010).
http://www.marinespecies.org/ascidiacea/aphia.php?p=sourcedetails&id=149068
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Ramos, M. (ed.). 2010. IBERFAUNA. The Iberian Fauna Databank
http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=sourcedetails&id=149024
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Dyntaxa (2013) Swedish Taxonomic Database. Accessed at www.dyntaxa.se [15-01-2013].
http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=sourcedetails&id=165516
© WoRMS for SMEBD
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World Register of Marine Species
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Northeast Atlantic: Bay of Biscay to the White Sea and off Iceland.
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Nielsen, J.G. 1986 Pleuronectidae. p. 1299-1307. In P.J.P. Whitehead, M.-L. Bauchot, J.-C. Hureau, J. Nielsen and E. Tortonese (eds.) Fishes of the North-eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean. UNESCO, Paris. Vol. 3. (Ref. 4705)
http://www.fishbase.org/references/FBRefSummary.php?id=4705&speccode=1371
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All around the coasts of Britain and Ireland.
© National Museums Northern Ireland and its licensors
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Physical Description
Size
Max. size
65.0 cm TL (male/unsexed; (Ref. 9988)); max. published weight: 2,950 g (Ref. 6112); max. reported age: 23 years (Ref. 6112)
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Frimodt, C. 1995 Multilingual illustrated guide to the world's commercial coldwater fish. Fishing News Books, Osney Mead, Oxford, England. 215 p. (Ref. 9988)
http://www.fishbase.org/references/FBRefSummary.php?id=9988&speccode=2065
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Rae, B.B. 1965 The lemon sole. Fishing News (Books) Ltd., London. 106 p. (Ref. 6112)
http://www.fishbase.org/references/FBRefSummary.php?id=6112&speccode=1382
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Diagnostic Description
Small head and mouth. Body is oval. Skin is marbled and smooth. Lateral line almost straight, slight curve above the pectoral fin (Ref. 35388).
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Muus, B.J. and J.G. Nielsen 1999 Sea fish. Scandinavian Fishing Year Book, Hedehusene, Denmark. 340 p. (Ref. 35388)
http://www.fishbase.org/references/FBRefSummary.php?id=35388&speccode=37
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Ecology
Habitat
Depth: 20 - 200m.
From 20 to 200 meters.
Habitat: demersal.
From 20 to 200 meters.
Habitat: demersal.
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Environment
demersal; oceanodromous (Ref. 51243); marine; depth range 10 - 200 m, usually 10 - 150 m (Ref. 35388)
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Riede, K. 2004 Global register of migratory species - from global to regional scales. Final Report of the R&D-Projekt 808 05 081. Federal Agency for Nature Conservation, Bonn, Germany. 329 p. (Ref. 51243)
http://www.fishbase.org/references/FBRefSummary.php?id=51243&speccode=4683
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Muus, B.J. and J.G. Nielsen 1999 Sea fish. Scandinavian Fishing Year Book, Hedehusene, Denmark. 340 p. (Ref. 35388)
http://www.fishbase.org/references/FBRefSummary.php?id=35388&speccode=37
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Depth range based on 103596 specimens in 1 taxon.
Water temperature and chemistry ranges based on 72864 samples.
Environmental ranges
Depth range (m): -9 - 860
Temperature range (°C): 6.433 - 11.845
Nitrate (umol/L): 1.402 - 17.472
Salinity (PPS): 22.343 - 35.698
Oxygen (ml/l): 4.425 - 7.118
Phosphate (umol/l): 0.249 - 1.053
Silicate (umol/l): 0.987 - 10.823
Graphical representation
Depth range (m): -9 - 860
Temperature range (°C): 6.433 - 11.845
Nitrate (umol/L): 1.402 - 17.472
Salinity (PPS): 22.343 - 35.698
Oxygen (ml/l): 4.425 - 7.118
Phosphate (umol/l): 0.249 - 1.053
Silicate (umol/l): 0.987 - 10.823
Note: this information has not been validated. Check this *note*. Your feedback is most welcome.
Water temperature and chemistry ranges based on 72864 samples.
Environmental ranges
Depth range (m): -9 - 860
Temperature range (°C): 6.433 - 11.845
Nitrate (umol/L): 1.402 - 17.472
Salinity (PPS): 22.343 - 35.698
Oxygen (ml/l): 4.425 - 7.118
Phosphate (umol/l): 0.249 - 1.053
Silicate (umol/l): 0.987 - 10.823
Graphical representation
Depth range (m): -9 - 860
Temperature range (°C): 6.433 - 11.845
Nitrate (umol/L): 1.402 - 17.472
Salinity (PPS): 22.343 - 35.698
Oxygen (ml/l): 4.425 - 7.118
Phosphate (umol/l): 0.249 - 1.053
Silicate (umol/l): 0.987 - 10.823
Note: this information has not been validated. Check this *note*. Your feedback is most welcome.
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The lemon sole is a demersal species usually found on stony bottoms from depths of 20 m to 200 m.
© The Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom
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Marine Life Information Network
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Lemon sole are bottom-living fish that live mainly in rocky or stony areas in depths between 5-400m. They feed on small crustaceans, scale-worms and chitons.
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Migration
Oceanodromous. Migrating within oceans typically between spawning and different feeding areas, as tunas do. Migrations should be cyclical and predictable and cover more than 100 km.
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Riede, K. 2004 Global register of migratory species - from global to regional scales. Final Report of the R&D-Projekt 808 05 081. Federal Agency for Nature Conservation, Bonn, Germany. 329 p. (Ref. 51243)
http://www.fishbase.org/references/FBRefSummary.php?id=51243&speccode=4683
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Trophic Strategy
Generally feeds on sedentary or near sedentary prey, mainly polychaetes; feeding activity seasonal, ceasing almost completely during winter (December) and peaking around April to August (Ref. 6112).
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Rae, B.B. 1965 The lemon sole. Fishing News (Books) Ltd., London. 106 p. (Ref. 6112)
http://www.fishbase.org/references/FBRefSummary.php?id=6112&speccode=1382
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Life History and Behavior
Life Cycle
Spawning is mainly confined to depths of 55-91 m in the northwestern North Sea and commences at a minimum temperature of 6.5 °C in Scottish waters. Sex ratio is about 1:1, but females progressively predominate upon sexual maturity.
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Rae, B.B. 1965 The lemon sole. Fishing News (Books) Ltd., London. 106 p. (Ref. 6112)
http://www.fishbase.org/references/FBRefSummary.php?id=6112&speccode=1382
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Molecular Biology and Genetics
Molecular Biology
Barcode data: Microstomus kitt
The following is a representative barcode sequence, the centroid of all available sequences for this species.
There are 3 barcode sequences available from BOLD and GenBank. Below is a sequence of the barcode region Cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (COI or COX1) from a member of the species. See the BOLD taxonomy browser for more complete information about this specimen and other sequences.
Download FASTA File
There are 3 barcode sequences available from BOLD and GenBank. Below is a sequence of the barcode region Cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (COI or COX1) from a member of the species. See the BOLD taxonomy browser for more complete information about this specimen and other sequences.
GCCCTCTATCTCGTATTGGGTGCCTGAGCCGGAATAGTGGGCACAGGCTTA---AGTCTACTCATTCGAGCAGAACTGAGCCAACCTGGGGCTCTCCTAGGAGAC---GACCAAATTTATAACGTAATCGTCACCGCACACGCCTTTGTAATAATCTTTTTTATGGTAATACCCATTATAATCGGAGGGTTTGGAAACTGACTCATCCCCTTAATA---ATTGGGGCCCCTGACATAGCTTTTCCCCGAATGAATAATATGAGTTTCTGACTCCTCCCCCCATCCTTTCTTCTCCTCTTGGCCTCTTCAGGTGTTGAAGCAGGGGCGGGTACTGGGTGGACGGTTTACCCCCCACTAGCTGGCAATCTAGCCCACGCCGGAGCATCCGTAGACCTG---ACAATCTTCTCACTACATCTTGCAGGGATCTCCTCAATCCTGGGGGCTATTAACTTTATTACTACCATTATCAACATAAAACCTACAACAGTCACAATATACCAAATCCCTTTATTTGTCTGAGCTGTTCTAATCACTGCTGTTCTTCTACTCTTATTCCTGCCCGTCTTAGCCGCT---GGGATTACAATGTTGCTAACAGACCGAAATCTGAACACAACATTCTTTGACCCTGCTGGAGGAGGTGACCCCATCCTATACCACCAT---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------TGG---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------TTT
-- end --
-- end --
Download FASTA File
© Barcode of Life Data Systems
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Statistics of barcoding coverage: Microstomus kitt
Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLDS) Stats
Public Records: 3
Specimens with Barcodes: 26
Species With Barcodes: 1
Public Records: 3
Specimens with Barcodes: 26
Species With Barcodes: 1
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Conservation
Threats
Not Evaluated
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IUCN 2006 2006 IUCN red list of threatened species. www.iucnredlist.org. Downloaded July 2006.
http://www.fishbase.org/references/FBRefSummary.php?id=57073
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Relevance to Humans and Ecosystems
Benefits
Importance
fisheries: commercial; aquarium: public aquariums
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Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations 1992 FAO yearbook 1990. Fishery statistics. Catches and landings. FAO Fish. Ser. (38). FAO Stat. Ser. 70:(105):647 p. (Ref. 4931)
http://www.fishbase.org/references/FBRefSummary.php?id=4931&speccode=228
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Rae, B.B. 1965 The lemon sole. Fishing News (Books) Ltd., London. 106 p. (Ref. 6112)
http://www.fishbase.org/references/FBRefSummary.php?id=6112&speccode=1382
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Wikipedia
Lemon sole
The lemon sole, Microstomus kitt, is a flatfish of the family Pleuronectidae. It is native to shallow seas around Northern Europe, where it lives on stony bottoms down to depths of about 200 metres (660 ft). It grows up to 65 centimetres (26 in) in length and reaches about 3 kilograms (6.6 lb) in weight.[1][2]
It is a popular food fish.
Contents |
Identification
The lemon sole is a right-eyed flatfish with a small head and mouth and smooth, slimy skin. The upper surface is reddish brown in colour, mottled with pink and orange and flecks of yellow and green, and a prominent orange patch is typically found behind the pectoral fin, around which the lateral line also curves. The underside of the fish is white. Adults can reach lengths of up to 65 centimetres (26 in), but most measure around 20–30 centimetres (8–12 in).[1][2]
Origin of the name
Lemon sole is a misnomer since it's neither a real sole, nor does it have the taste of lemon. It probably comes from the French name : "limande" or "sole limande". The French term "limande" may come from the French word "lime", it means "file" (tool use to smooth metal, wood, etc.), possibly referring to the texture of the fish's skin. Some other authors suggest that "limande" may also come from the French word "limon" (which means "silt").[3]
Fishing
In 2007 the European Union fishing quota, or Total Allowable Catch (TAC), for lemon sole (and witch) was 6,175 tonnes, of which 3,716 tonnes were caught, mostly by UK fishermen. The quota for 2008 was 6,793 tonnes and the quota for 2009 was 6,793 tonnes.[4][5]
The Marine Conservation Society rates lemon sole at 2/3 on its sustainability scale (where 1 is best and 5 is worst) depending on how and where it is caught.[6][7]
See also
Several other species of flatfish are known as lemon soles:
- English sole, Parophrys vetulus
- Southern lemon sole, Pelotretis flavilatus
- Winter flounder, Pseudopleuronectes americanus
References
- ^ a b c "Microstomus kitt". Fishbase. Archived from the original on 2007-03-12. Retrieved 2009-04-27.
- ^ a b Picton, B.E. & Morrow, C.C. (2005). "Microstomus kitt". Encyclopaedia of Marine Life of Britain and Ireland. Habitas Online. Archived from the original on 2007-12-21. Retrieved 2009-04-28.
- ^ "Limande" in Trésor informatique de la langue française : http://atilf.atilf.fr/dendien/scripts/tlfiv4/showps.exe?p=combi.htm;java=no;
- ^ "1 Fisheries: catch quotas and effort limitation 2009". Documents considered by the Committee on 21 January 2009 - European Scrutiny Committee. Hansard. 21 January 2009. Retrieved 2009-04-27.
- ^ Barratt & Irwin (2008). United Kingdom Sea Fishing Statistics 2007. London: Marine and Fisheries Agency. p. 49. ISBN 978-0-85521-181-3.
- ^ "Lemon Sole". Fishonline. Marine Conservation Society. Retrieved 2009-04-27.
- ^ "Fish To Eat: Lemon Sole". Fishonline. Marine Conservation Society. Retrieved 2009-04-27.
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