Tonguefishes
Tonguefishes and tonguesoles are the common names for the members of the Cynoglossidae family. The family members have both eyes on the left side of their head and margin of preoperculum completely covered by skin and scales. There is no spine in their fins and their dorsal fin extends far forward on head. Their dorsal and anal fins are attached to caudal fins and a rostral hook usually present below their mouth.
Members of the Cynoglossidae are found in the tropical and subtropical waters worldwide. There are 3 genera and 143 species worldwide. They commonly inhabit marine waters on mud and sand bottoms from 1 m to 1500 m depth. Some species occur in brackish waters near river mouth but they are rarely found in freshwater. They feed mostly on small crustaceans and other bottom-living animals.
Members of the Cynoglossidae are found in the tropical and subtropical waters worldwide. There are 3 genera and 143 species worldwide. They commonly inhabit marine waters on mud and sand bottoms from 1 m to 1500 m depth. Some species occur in brackish waters near river mouth but they are rarely found in freshwater. They feed mostly on small crustaceans and other bottom-living animals.
Scientific Name: Cynoglossus arel (Bloch & Schneider, 1801)
English Name: Largescale Tonguesole
Chinese Name | 鱼类中文名: 舌鰨 (Shé tǎ), 左口鱼 (Zuǒ kǒu yú)
Malay Name | Nama Melayu Malaysia: Ikan Lidah, Lidah Sisik Besar
Thai Name | ชื่อสามัญภาษาไทย: ปลายอดม่วงเกล็ดใหญ่ (Plā yxd m̀wng kel̆d yai), ปลาลิ้นหมาน้ำตาล (Plā lînh̄mā n̂ảtāl)
Local Teochew: Leng Chik
Main Identification Features: Mouth well behind snout tip. 2 lateral lines on eyed side. Eyes distinctly separate. Scales ctenoid (rough) on eyed side of body, and cycloid (smooth) on blind side. Scales large with 7–9 scale rows between lateral lines on eyed side.
Size: Maximum total length about 40 cm, commonly to 30 cm.
Habitat and Ecology: Mud and sand bottoms, to 125 m depth. Feeds mainly on bottom-living invertebrates.
Scientific Name: Cynoglossus bilineatus (Lacepède, 1802)
English Name: Fourlined Tonguesole
Chinese Name | 鱼类中文名: 舌鰨 (Shé tǎ), 左口鱼 (Zuǒ kǒu yú)
Malay Name | Nama Melayu Malaysia: Ikan Lidah Pasir
Thai Name | ชื่อสามัญภาษาไทย: ปลายอดม่วงลายสี่เส้น (Plā yxd m̀wng lāy s̄ī̀ s̄ên), ปลาลิ้นหมา (Plā lînh̄mā)
Local Teochew: Leng Chik
Main Identification Features: Mouth well behind snout tip. 2 lateral lines on eyed side. Eyes distinctly separate. Scales ctenoid (rough) on eyed side of body, and cycloid (smooth) on blind side. Large blackish blotch on gill cover on eyed side.
Size: Maximum total length about 40 cm, commonly 15 to 30 cm.
Habitat and Ecology: Mud and sand bottoms, to 80 m depth. Feeds mainly on bottom-living invertebrates.
Scientific Name: Cynoglossus cynoglossus (Hamilton, 1822)
English Name: Bengal Tongue Sole, Bengal Tonguefish
Chinese Name | 鱼类中文名: 舌鰨 (Shé tǎ), 左口鱼 (Zuǒ kǒu yú)
Malay Name | Nama Melayu Malaysia: Ikan Lidah Pasir
Thai Name | ชื่อสามัญภาษาไทย: ปลาลิ้นหมา (Plā lînh̄mā), ปลายอดม่วงเบงกอล (Plā yxd m̀wng bengkxl)
Local Teochew: Leng Chik
Main Identification Features: 2 lateral lines on eyed side of body. Scales on both sides ctenoid (rough to touch). Rostral hook short and not extending to level of front of eye. Upper lateral line undulating. Corner of mouth not reaching behind margin of lower eye. Eyed-side lower jaw with crenulate fleshy ridge comprised of several folds, or jaw with a single broadly triangular-shaped fleshy ridge.
Size: Maximum total length about 20 cm, commonly 10 to 15 cm.
Habitat and Ecology: Shallow coastal and estuarine waters, muddy and sandy bottoms, 10 to 20 m depth. Feeds on benthic invertebrates.
Scientific Name: Cynoglossus lingua Hamilton, 1822
English Name: Long Tongue Sole
Chinese Name | 鱼类中文名: 舌鰨 (Shé tǎ), 左口鱼 (Zuǒ kǒu yú), 长体舌鳎 (Zhǎng tǐ shé tǎ)
Malay Name | Nama Melayu Malaysia: Ikan Lidah Pajang
Thai Name | ชื่อสามัญภาษาไทย: ปลายอดม่วงลาย (Plā yxd m̀wng lāy), ปลาลิ้นหมา (Plā lînh̄mā), ปลาซีกเดียวลาย (Plā sīk deīyw lāy)
Local Teochew: Leng Chik
Main Identification Features: Body very elongate, its depth 17 to 22% standard length. Snout obtusely pointed. 2 lateral lines on eyed side, none on blind side. Eyes with a small interorbital space. Scales ctenoid (rough) on eyed side of body, and cycloid (smooth) on blind side. Usually with irregular brown-black patches and a large black blotch on gill cover.
Size: Maximum total length around 40 cm, commonly 20 to 30 cm.
Habitat and Ecology: Mud and sand bottoms, to 80 m depth. Feeds mainly on bottom-living invertebrates.
Other Species Haven't Been Identified
Family Name: Cynoglossidae
English Name: Tonguefish, Tonguesole
Chinese Name | 鱼类中文名: 舌鰨 (Shé tǎ), 左口鱼 (Zuǒ kǒu yú)
Malay Name | Nama Melayu Malaysia: Ikan Lidah
Thai Name | ชื่อสามัญภาษาไทย: ปลาลิ้นหมา (Plā lînh̄mā)
Local Teochew: Leng Chik
English Name: Largescale Tonguesole
Chinese Name | 鱼类中文名: 舌鰨 (Shé tǎ), 左口鱼 (Zuǒ kǒu yú)
Malay Name | Nama Melayu Malaysia: Ikan Lidah, Lidah Sisik Besar
Thai Name | ชื่อสามัญภาษาไทย: ปลายอดม่วงเกล็ดใหญ่ (Plā yxd m̀wng kel̆d yai), ปลาลิ้นหมาน้ำตาล (Plā lînh̄mā n̂ảtāl)
Local Teochew: Leng Chik
Main Identification Features: Mouth well behind snout tip. 2 lateral lines on eyed side. Eyes distinctly separate. Scales ctenoid (rough) on eyed side of body, and cycloid (smooth) on blind side. Scales large with 7–9 scale rows between lateral lines on eyed side.
Size: Maximum total length about 40 cm, commonly to 30 cm.
Habitat and Ecology: Mud and sand bottoms, to 125 m depth. Feeds mainly on bottom-living invertebrates.
Scientific Name: Cynoglossus bilineatus (Lacepède, 1802)
English Name: Fourlined Tonguesole
Chinese Name | 鱼类中文名: 舌鰨 (Shé tǎ), 左口鱼 (Zuǒ kǒu yú)
Malay Name | Nama Melayu Malaysia: Ikan Lidah Pasir
Thai Name | ชื่อสามัญภาษาไทย: ปลายอดม่วงลายสี่เส้น (Plā yxd m̀wng lāy s̄ī̀ s̄ên), ปลาลิ้นหมา (Plā lînh̄mā)
Local Teochew: Leng Chik
Main Identification Features: Mouth well behind snout tip. 2 lateral lines on eyed side. Eyes distinctly separate. Scales ctenoid (rough) on eyed side of body, and cycloid (smooth) on blind side. Large blackish blotch on gill cover on eyed side.
Size: Maximum total length about 40 cm, commonly 15 to 30 cm.
Habitat and Ecology: Mud and sand bottoms, to 80 m depth. Feeds mainly on bottom-living invertebrates.
Scientific Name: Cynoglossus cynoglossus (Hamilton, 1822)
English Name: Bengal Tongue Sole, Bengal Tonguefish
Chinese Name | 鱼类中文名: 舌鰨 (Shé tǎ), 左口鱼 (Zuǒ kǒu yú)
Malay Name | Nama Melayu Malaysia: Ikan Lidah Pasir
Thai Name | ชื่อสามัญภาษาไทย: ปลาลิ้นหมา (Plā lînh̄mā), ปลายอดม่วงเบงกอล (Plā yxd m̀wng bengkxl)
Local Teochew: Leng Chik
Main Identification Features: 2 lateral lines on eyed side of body. Scales on both sides ctenoid (rough to touch). Rostral hook short and not extending to level of front of eye. Upper lateral line undulating. Corner of mouth not reaching behind margin of lower eye. Eyed-side lower jaw with crenulate fleshy ridge comprised of several folds, or jaw with a single broadly triangular-shaped fleshy ridge.
Size: Maximum total length about 20 cm, commonly 10 to 15 cm.
Habitat and Ecology: Shallow coastal and estuarine waters, muddy and sandy bottoms, 10 to 20 m depth. Feeds on benthic invertebrates.
Scientific Name: Cynoglossus lingua Hamilton, 1822
English Name: Long Tongue Sole
Chinese Name | 鱼类中文名: 舌鰨 (Shé tǎ), 左口鱼 (Zuǒ kǒu yú), 长体舌鳎 (Zhǎng tǐ shé tǎ)
Malay Name | Nama Melayu Malaysia: Ikan Lidah Pajang
Thai Name | ชื่อสามัญภาษาไทย: ปลายอดม่วงลาย (Plā yxd m̀wng lāy), ปลาลิ้นหมา (Plā lînh̄mā), ปลาซีกเดียวลาย (Plā sīk deīyw lāy)
Local Teochew: Leng Chik
Main Identification Features: Body very elongate, its depth 17 to 22% standard length. Snout obtusely pointed. 2 lateral lines on eyed side, none on blind side. Eyes with a small interorbital space. Scales ctenoid (rough) on eyed side of body, and cycloid (smooth) on blind side. Usually with irregular brown-black patches and a large black blotch on gill cover.
Size: Maximum total length around 40 cm, commonly 20 to 30 cm.
Habitat and Ecology: Mud and sand bottoms, to 80 m depth. Feeds mainly on bottom-living invertebrates.
Other Species Haven't Been Identified
Family Name: Cynoglossidae
English Name: Tonguefish, Tonguesole
Chinese Name | 鱼类中文名: 舌鰨 (Shé tǎ), 左口鱼 (Zuǒ kǒu yú)
Malay Name | Nama Melayu Malaysia: Ikan Lidah
Thai Name | ชื่อสามัญภาษาไทย: ปลาลิ้นหมา (Plā lînh̄mā)
Local Teochew: Leng Chik
