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🌊 Marine Least Concern 🍽️ Edible 🎣 Game Fish 🌡️ Temperate

Flathead sole

Hippoglossoides elassodon Jordan & Gilbert, 1880
Max Length
52 cm
Max Weight
1.6 kg
Lifespan
27 yrs
Trophic Level
3.7
Depth
0–1050 m
Climate
Temperate
Resilience
Low
Vulnerability
59.00/100
Typical Length
Depth Zone
demersal

📖 Overview

Found on soft bottom . Adults usually below 180 m . Feed on clams, worms and crustaceans . Taken by shrimp and otter trawls .

Scientific Name
Hippoglossoides elassodon
Authority
Jordan & Gilbert, 1880
Habitat
Marine
Climate
Temperate
Body Shape
Short and / or deep
IUCN Status
LC
Max Length
52 cm
Max Weight
1.6 kg
Lifespan
27 years
Depth Range
0–1050 m
Trophic Level
3.7
Resilience
Low
Vulnerability
59.00/100
Migration
Oceanodromous
Salinity
30–40 ppt

🐟 Physical Description

Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 75 - 85; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 55 - 68; Vertebrae: 42 - 46. Dorsal origin over anterior part of upper eye. Caudal with small elongation in center. Pectorals rather large with rounded tips.: short and / or deep.

🌀 Behaviour

Behavioural data for Flathead sole is currently being reviewed.

🦐 Diet

Diet information for Flathead sole is currently being compiled.

🥚 Reproduction

Size at Maturity
34.3cm TL

🌍 Habitat & Distribution

Marine; demersal; oceanodromous ; depth range 0 - 1050 m . Temperate; 51°N - 29°N, 97°E - 90°W North Pacific: Sea of Japan, Sea of Okhotsk, and the Bering Sea along the western coast of America to Pt.

🌿 Ecology

Zone Preferences
🌊 Marine ⬇️ Benthic
Migration
Oceanodromous
Trophic Level
3.7±0.1
Food Items

clams, worms and crustaceans (Ref

📐 Morphometrics

Length–Weight Relationship: W = 0.00708 × L3.11 (TL)
Max TL
52cm
Max Weight
1,600g
Dorsal Rays
80
Anal Rays
62
Vertebrae
44

🌡️ Water Parameters & Tolerance

Salinity Range
30–40ppt

🛡️ Conservation Assessment

IUCN Category
Least Concern
Assessment Date
2020

📊 Population Risk & Fisheries

Population Resilience
Low
Minimum doubling time
Fishing Vulnerability
59.00/100
High vulnerability
Trophic Level
3.7
Predator
Body Shape
Short and / or deep
Climate Zone
Temperate
Described By
Jordan & Gilbert, 1880

🍽️ Edibility & Flavour

"Flathead sole is an edible species."

✗ Not for Raw
✓ Fresh Indicators
  • Clear, bright eyes — cloudy eyes indicate age
  • Firm flesh that springs back when pressed
  • Fresh ocean smell, never strong or ammonia-like
  • Bright red or pink gills, not grey or brown
  • Shiny, moist skin with scales tightly attached
✗ Avoid If
  • Cloudy or sunken eyes
  • Strong fishy or ammonia odour
  • Soft, mushy flesh that doesn't spring back
  • Discoloured or dry flesh
Best Cooking Methods
Baking Grilling Pan-frying

Nutrition

Per 100g cooked — Source: USDA FoodData Central

Nutrient Amount
Protein 16.8 g
Omega-3 (total) 368 mg

🔬 Mercury Safety

Mercury data for Flathead sole has not yet been assigned. Please consult FDA/EPA guidance for general seafood safety advice.

🌿 Sustainability

Best Choice
Healthy stocks, low impact
Good Alternative
Well-managed, minor concerns
Use Caution
Check sourcing and season
Avoid
Overfished or high impact

🌐 Names & Taxonomy

Language Common Names
🇬🇧English Flathead Sole
🇩🇰Danish Nordpacifisk håising
🇫🇷French plie à tête plate
🇯🇵Japanese Uma-garei · Umagarei · ウマガレイ
🇵🇱Polish Plaskoglów
🇵🇹Portuguese Solha-japonesa
🇷🇺Russian Камбала узкозубая (охотоморская, северная) палтусовидная · Узкозубая палтусовидная камбала
🇨🇳Chinese 太平洋擬庸鰈

🗺️ Global Occurrence Map

Occurrence records from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) — 15 records indexed .

Occurrence density from GBIF View GBIF records ↗

👥 Community & Contribute

Aquareap Community Observations
0 Observations logged on Aquareap

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View all observations for Flathead sole ↗
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