Funny Flat Fish

Wed, Apr 8th, 2009  |   Marine Life, Places, Adventures 20 Comments

I found this fish in Lembeh. I know it’s some sort of flounder or sole, but otherwise, I’ve never seen anything like it.

It was about five to six centimetres long (two to two-and-a-quarter inches), and changed to a dark grey/ brown colour after some time.

Besides the bars on its body, the large mouth relative to body size is a distinguishing feature.

Anyone know what this is?

flat fish

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  • http://www.richard-ten-brinke.nl Richard

    a funny fish indeed. his mouth, is it big. if i lok to your picture it is. great find though

  • http://www.richard-ten-brinke.nl Richard

    a funny fish indeed. his mouth, is it big. if i lok to your picture it is. great find though

  • http://www.flickr.com/photos/brianmayes/ Brian Mayes

    Tony, I found the same type of fish in Lembeh at TK3 on the 25th Jan 2009. Like you I’m trying to identify it. I’ve posted my photos of it on WetPixel here http://wetpixel.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=29638
    If you find out what it is let me know and I will do likewise. Perhaps we should have a critter identification section in the Flickr FiNS Magazine Group.

    Cheers
    Brian

  • http://www.flickr.com/photos/brianmayes/ Brian Mayes

    Tony, I found the same type of fish in Lembeh at TK3 on the 25th Jan 2009. Like you I’m trying to identify it. I’ve posted my photos of it on WetPixel here http://wetpixel.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=29638
    If you find out what it is let me know and I will do likewise. Perhaps we should have a critter identification section in the Flickr FiNS Magazine Group.

    Cheers
    Brian

  • http://www.tonywublog.com Tony

    Cool Brian! Looks like something is going on with these fish in Lembeh. My photo is from March 12 at Retak Larry, so quite close to where you took your photo.

    Definitely will let you know if I figure it out.

  • http://www.tonywublog.com Tony

    Cool Brian! Looks like something is going on with these fish in Lembeh. My photo is from March 12 at Retak Larry, so quite close to where you took your photo.

    Definitely will let you know if I figure it out.

  • Heok Hui

    looks like a juvenile Psettodes (family Psettodidae), commonly known as Indian Halibut.

  • Heok Hui

    looks like a juvenile Psettodes (family Psettodidae), commonly known as Indian Halibut.

  • Ron Silver

    Tony,

    Scott Michael recalls finding this critter at TK many years ago but has not identified it to species. Perhaps you can forward a quick note to Jack Randall in Hawaii. He has spent many hours in the Lembeh Strait. I remember one dive with him that we still laugh about…..He came back to dive boat and began pulling live specimens out of his wetsuit where he had stuffed them so that he could collect more specimens!

  • Ron Silver

    Tony,

    Scott Michael recalls finding this critter at TK many years ago but has not identified it to species. Perhaps you can forward a quick note to Jack Randall in Hawaii. He has spent many hours in the Lembeh Strait. I remember one dive with him that we still laugh about…..He came back to dive boat and began pulling live specimens out of his wetsuit where he had stuffed them so that he could collect more specimens!

  • http://www.tonywublog.com Tony

    Thanks Ron, have sent off a quick note to Jack. Still looking into the possibility that it might be a juvenile halibut as Heok Hui suggested

  • http://www.tonywublog.com Tony

    Thanks Ron, have sent off a quick note to Jack. Still looking into the possibility that it might be a juvenile halibut as Heok Hui suggested

  • Ron Silver

    Tony,

    I have continued to seek an ID for your flatfish and now tend to agree with Heok Hui that it is a juvenile halibut, most likely Psettodes erumei, or Queensland halibut; per the Burgess Atlas of Marine Aquarium Fishes.

    Ron

  • Ron Silver

    Tony,

    I have continued to seek an ID for your flatfish and now tend to agree with Heok Hui that it is a juvenile halibut, most likely Psettodes erumei, or Queensland halibut; per the Burgess Atlas of Marine Aquarium Fishes.

    Ron

  • http://www.tonywublog.com Tony

    Thanks Ron!

    That makes 2 votes for baby halibut.

  • http://www.tonywublog.com Tony

    Thanks Ron!

    That makes 2 votes for baby halibut.

  • http://www.tonywublog.com Tony

    Seems like we have a consensus building around Psettodes sp. as Heok Hui originally suggested

    http://www.flickr.com/groups/fins/discuss/72157616431708703/#comment72157616625653500

  • http://www.tonywublog.com Tony

    Seems like we have a consensus building around Psettodes sp. as Heok Hui originally suggested

    http://www.flickr.com/groups/fins/discuss/72157616431708703/#comment72157616625653500

  • jami

    hello all

  • jami

    hello all