Overview
Comprehensive Description
Description
The megrim is a relatively narrow-bodied left-eyed flatfish with a moderately large head and large eyes and mouth. The lower eye is slightly forward of the upper eye and the lower jaw is forward of the upper jaw. The background colour is usually a pale yellowish-brown with darker dusky patches. The underside is white. Adult fish can grow to 60cm in length although most are between 35-45cm. This species is similar to the four-spot megrim (Lepidorhombus boscii), however in this species the eyes are level with one another and there are two black spots on the end of both the dorsal and anal fins.
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Biology
Occurs on soft bottoms. Depth range from 100-400 m (Ref. 06302) and from 288-700 m in the eastern Ionian Sea (Ref. 56504). Feeds on small bottom-living fishes as well as on squids and crustaceans (Ref. 4703). Spawns in deep waters off Iceland and west of the British Isles (Ref. 35388).
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Nielsen, J.G. 1990 Scophthalmidae. p. 1026. In J.C. Quero, J.C. Hureau, C. Karrer, A. Post and L. Saldanha (eds.) Check-list of the fishes of the eastern tropical Atlantic (CLOFETA). JNICT, Lisbon; SEI, Paris; and UNESCO, Paris. Vol. 2. (Ref. 6501)
http://www.fishbase.org/references/FBRefSummary.php?id=6501&speccode=27
© WorldFish Center - FishBase
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FishBase
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Distribution
Distribution
Azores Exclusive Economic Zone, Belgian Exclusive Economic Zone, European waters (ERMS scope), Greek Exclusive Economic Zone, Irish Exclusive economic Zone, Israeli Exclusive Economic Zone [Mediterranean part], Portugese Exclusive Economic Zone, Spanish Exclusive Economic Zone, United Kingdom Exclusive Economic Zone, West Coast of England, 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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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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Borges, P.A.V., Costa, A., Cunha, R., Gabriel, R., Gonçalves, V., Martins, A.F., Melo, I., Parente, M., Raposeiro, P., Rodrigues, P., Santos, R.S., Silva, L., Vieira, P. & Vieira, V. (Eds.) (2010). A list of the terrestrial and marine biota from the Azores. Princípia, Oeiras, 432 pp.
http://www.marinespecies.org/ascidiacea/aphia.php?p=sourcedetails&id=149079
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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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Galil, B.; Goren, M.; Mienis, H. (2011). Checklist of marine species in Israel. Compiled in the framework of the EU FP7 PESI project.
http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=sourcedetails&id=149096
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Koukouras, Athanasios. (2010). Check-list of marine species from Greece. Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. Assembled in the framework of the EU FP7 PESI project.
http://www.marinespecies.org/asteroidea/aphia.php?p=sourcedetails&id=142068
© WoRMS for SMEBD
Source:
World Register of Marine Species
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Distribution
This species is widespread around the coasts of Britain and Ireland but appears to be absent from the east coast of England and the eastern half of the English Channel.
© National Museums Northern Ireland and its licensors
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Northeast Atlantic: Iceland southward to Cape Bojador (26°N), West Sahara and in the western Mediterranean.
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Nielsen, J.G. 1990 Scophthalmidae. p. 1026. In J.C. Quero, J.C. Hureau, C. Karrer, A. Post and L. Saldanha (eds.) Check-list of the fishes of the eastern tropical Atlantic (CLOFETA). JNICT, Lisbon; SEI, Paris; and UNESCO, Paris. Vol. 2. (Ref. 6501)
http://www.fishbase.org/references/FBRefSummary.php?id=6501&speccode=27
© WorldFish Center - FishBase
Source:
FishBase
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Physical Description
Morphology
Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 85 - 94; Analsoft rays: 64 - 74
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Whitehead, P.J.P., M.-L. Bauchot, J.-C. Hureau, J. Nielsen and E. Tortonese (eds.) 1986 Fishes of the North-eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean. UNESCO, Paris. Vols. I-III:1473 p.
http://www.fishbase.org/references/FBRefSummary.php?id=232
© WorldFish Center - FishBase
Source:
FishBase
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Size
Max. size
60.0 cm TL (male/unsexed; (Ref. 3397))
© WorldFish Center - FishBase
Source:
FishBase
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Diagnostic Description
Dorsal fin origin closer to tip of snout than to anterior edge of eye. Dorsal and anal fins terminate just a little on the blind side of the caudal peduncle. Lateral line forms a distinct curve above the pectoral fin. Dorsal and anal fin with indefinite darker spots posteriorly.
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Whitehead, P.J.P., M.-L. Bauchot, J.-C. Hureau, J. Nielsen and E. Tortonese (eds.) 1986 Fishes of the North-eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean. UNESCO, Paris. Vols. I-III:1473 p.
http://www.fishbase.org/references/FBRefSummary.php?id=232
© WorldFish Center - FishBase
Source:
FishBase
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Ecology
Habitat
Depth range based on 34321 specimens in 1 taxon.
Water temperature and chemistry ranges based on 29134 samples.
Environmental ranges
Depth range (m): -9 - 860
Temperature range (°C): 6.506 - 14.396
Nitrate (umol/L): 2.055 - 17.472
Salinity (PPS): 22.343 - 35.698
Oxygen (ml/l): 4.425 - 7.118
Phosphate (umol/l): 0.225 - 1.053
Silicate (umol/l): 1.819 - 10.823
Graphical representation
Depth range (m): -9 - 860
Temperature range (°C): 6.506 - 14.396
Nitrate (umol/L): 2.055 - 17.472
Salinity (PPS): 22.343 - 35.698
Oxygen (ml/l): 4.425 - 7.118
Phosphate (umol/l): 0.225 - 1.053
Silicate (umol/l): 1.819 - 10.823
Note: this information has not been validated. Check this *note*. Your feedback is most welcome.
Water temperature and chemistry ranges based on 29134 samples.
Environmental ranges
Depth range (m): -9 - 860
Temperature range (°C): 6.506 - 14.396
Nitrate (umol/L): 2.055 - 17.472
Salinity (PPS): 22.343 - 35.698
Oxygen (ml/l): 4.425 - 7.118
Phosphate (umol/l): 0.225 - 1.053
Silicate (umol/l): 1.819 - 10.823
Graphical representation
Depth range (m): -9 - 860
Temperature range (°C): 6.506 - 14.396
Nitrate (umol/L): 2.055 - 17.472
Salinity (PPS): 22.343 - 35.698
Oxygen (ml/l): 4.425 - 7.118
Phosphate (umol/l): 0.225 - 1.053
Silicate (umol/l): 1.819 - 10.823
Note: this information has not been validated. Check this *note*. Your feedback is most welcome.
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Habitat
Mostly found on soft mud or muddy sand at depths between 50-300m. It mainly feeds on other fish e.g. sandeels, dragonets and gobies.
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Environment
bathydemersal; marine; depth range 100 - 700 m (Ref. 56504)
© WorldFish Center - FishBase
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FishBase
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Trophic Strategy
Feeds mainly on fish, but also squids and crustaceans (Ref. 4703).
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Nielsen, J.G. 1986 Scophthalmidae. p. 1287-1293. 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. 4703)
http://www.fishbase.org/references/FBRefSummary.php?id=4703&speccode=1348
© WorldFish Center - FishBase
Source:
FishBase
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Molecular Biology and Genetics
Molecular Biology
Barcode data: Lepidorhombus whiffiagonis
The following is a representative barcode sequence, the centroid of all available sequences for this species.
There are 7 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 7 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.
GBGC7301-09|EU513700|Lepidorhombus whiffiagonis| ---------------------------------------ACCCTATACCTTATCTTCGGAGCCTGGGCCGGAATAGTGGGCACAGGCCTG---AGTCTACTCATTCGCGCTGAACTCAGCCAGCCGGGAGCCCTCCTCGGCGAT---GATCAGATCTACAATGTAATTGTAACAGCACATGCTTTCGTAATAATTTTCTTCATAGTCATGCCCGTAATGATCGGAGGCTTTGGTAACTGGCTTATCCCCCTCATG---CTGGGGGCCCCCGATATAGCATTCCCCCGAATGAACAATATGAGCTTTTGGCTCCTCCCCCCTTCTTTCCTTCTCCTCCTAGCCTCCTCTGGGGTAGAAGCCGGTGCAGGGACTGGGTGAACCGTCTACCCCCCTTTAGCAGGAAACCTCGCCCACGCCGGGGCGTCTGTCGACCTA---ACCATTTTTTCTTTACACTTAGCAGGGATTTCCTCCATTCTAGGAGCTATTAACTTCATTACAACTATTATCAACATAAAACCCGCTACTGTCACCATGTACCAAATCCCACTATTCGTCTGAGCAGTTCTTATTACAGCTGTCCTCCTTCTTCTATCCCTCCCAGTCTTAGCTGCG---GGAATTACAATGCTACTAACAGACCGCAACCTAAACACCGCCTTCTTTGACCCTGCGGGAGGAGGGGACCCCATTTTATACCAACACCTG-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-- end --
-- end --
Download FASTA File
© Barcode of Life Data Systems
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Statistics of barcoding coverage: Lepidorhombus whiffiagonis
Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLDS) Stats
Public Records: 7
Species: 10
Species With Barcodes: 1
Public Records: 7
Species: 10
Species With Barcodes: 1
© Barcode of Life Data Systems
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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
© WorldFish Center - FishBase
Source:
FishBase
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Relevance to Humans and Ecosystems
Benefits
Importance
fisheries: highly commercial; price category: Utilized as a food fish.; price reliability: very high
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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
© WorldFish Center - FishBase
Source:
FishBase
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Wikipedia
Megrim
This article is about the fish, For the neurological condition, see Migraine.
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (June 2011) |
The megrim or whiff (Lepidorhombus whiffiagonis) (Walbaum, 1792) is a species of left-eyed Flatfish found in European seas between 100 and 700 metres below sea level. It is caught commercially in some countries.
Contents |
Description
It can grow up to 60 cm in length. It is left-eyed, has a slightly larger head than usual in flatfish, and with a narrower body than usual.
Habits
The megrim prefers a sandy or muddy sea floor, and eats small fish, as well as squid and crustaceans. The species spawns in deep waters off Iceland, the West of the British Isles and the Mediterranean sea.
Range
This species is found in a number of areas of the Northeast Atlantic including the Sea of the Hebrides.[1]
Further reading
- International Council for the Exploration of the Sea
- FishBase: Lepidorhombus whiffiagonis
- C.Michael Hogan, (2011) Sea of the Hebrides. Eds. P. Saundry & C.J.Cleveland. Encyclopedia of Earth. National Council for Science and the Environment. Washington DC.
Line notes
- ^ C.Michael Hogan. 2011
Source:
Wikipedia
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