| Cynoglossus capensis | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Pleuronectiformes |
| Family: | Cynoglossidae |
| Genus: | Cynoglossus |
| Species: | C. capensis |
| Binomial name | |
| Cynoglossus capensis (Kaup, 1858) | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Cynoglossus capensis, commonly known as the sand tonguesole, is a species of tonguefish.
This slender wish grows up to 30 cm (12 in) long. It is pale brown with small brown spots and blotches, with paler sections in between. This colouration allows it to blend into the sea floor. As with other tonguefishes, the eyes are both on the left side of the body. [1]
This species may be confused with Cynoglossus zanzibarensis , which has red spots on the dorsal and anal fins.
It is commonly found in southeastern Atlantic Ocean off the south western coast of Africa from the Cunene River to the Cape of Good Hope. It is normally found at depths of no greater than 100 m (330 ft), but it has also been reported on the continental slope. [2] It has been recorded at depths of up to 450 m (1,480 ft). [3] It is most common in areas where the sea floor is covered in fine sand or mud. [1]
The sand tonguefish feeds on benthic invertebrates. [1] It is known to be an important prey species for the cape fur seal around Plettenberg Bay. [4]
This species is targeted by sole fisheries, as well as being caught as bycatch by other demersal trawl fisheries. [3] [4]
This species is currently listed as being data deficient by the IUCN. [3]
Plettenberg Bay, nicknamed Plet or Plett, is the primary town of the Bitou Local Municipality in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. As of the census of 2001, there were 29,149 population. It was originally named Bahia Formosa by early Portuguese explorers and lies on South Africa's Garden Route 210 km from Port Elizabeth and about 600 km from Cape Town.
The brown fur seal, also known as the Cape fur seal, South African fur seal and Australian fur seal, is a species of fur seal.
Algoa Bay is a maritime bay in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. It is located in the east coast, 683 kilometres (424 mi) east of the Cape of Good Hope.
The bluefin gurnard or Pacific red gurnard is a species of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Triglidae, the gurnards and sea robins. Its Māori names are kumukumu and pūwahaiau. It is found in the western Indian Ocean and the western Pacific Ocean, being common around Australia and New Zealand at depths down to 200 metres (660 ft). The fish is one of the most important commercial fish species in New Zealand.
The puffadder shyshark, also known as the Happy Eddie, is a species of catshark, belonging to the family Scyliorhinidae, endemic to the temperate waters off the coast of South Africa. This common shark is found on or near the bottom in sandy or rocky habitats, from the intertidal zone to a depth of 130 m (430 ft). Typically reaching 60 cm (24 in) in length, the puffadder shyshark has a slender, flattened body and head. It is strikingly patterned with a series of dark-edged, bright orange "saddles" and numerous small white spots over its back. The Natal shyshark, formally described in 2006, was once considered to be an alternate form of the puffadder shyshark.
The yellowspotted catshark is a rare catshark of the family Scyliorhinidae. It is found in the southeast Atlantic, from Lüderitz, Namibia to central Natal, South Africa, between latitudes 0° and 37° S. It can grow up to a length of about 1.22 metres. The reproduction of this catshark is oviparous.
The witch, known in English by a variety of other common names including the witch flounder, pole flounder, craig fluke, Torbay sole, and grey sole, is a species of flatfish from the family Pleuronectidae. It occurs on both sides of the North Atlantic Ocean on muddy sea beds in quite deep water. In northern Europe it has some importance in fisheries as a food fish.
Enteroctopus magnificus, also known as the southern giant octopus, is a large octopus in the genus Enteroctopus. It is native to the waters off Namibia and South Africa.
Cynoglossus browni, commonly known as the Nigerian tonguesole is a species of tonguefish. It is commonly found in Eastern Atlantic Ocean off the coast of west Africa, from Senegal to Angola. It is found on soft substrates such as mud or sand between depths of 15m and 40 m. Its main food is small benthic invertebrates.
Cynoglossus canariensis, commonly known as the Canary tonguesole is a species of tonguefish. It is commonly found in the eastern Atlantic Ocean off western Africa, from Mauritania and Western Sahara south to Angola, including the Canary Islands and Cape Verde Islands. It is a demersal species found at depths of 10-300m, it has been found in brackish water, but is normally a coastal species which occurs over substrates of sand or mud. It feeds on small fish and crustaceans. This species is targeted in trawl fisheries throughout its range and in many areas, it appears to have undergone significant declines. For example, in Gabon the mixed Cynoglossus stock is considered overexploited, while in other parts of western Africa such as Mauritania the stocks of Cynoglossus had declined by over 60% in the five or six years up to 2015. The IUCN list C. canariensis as Near Threatened due to is dependence on conservation.
Cancelloxus longior is a species of clinid found in subtropical waters of the South African coast. It can be found in areas with a sand substrate from the intertidal zone to a depth of about 10 metres (33 ft). Males of this species can reach a maximum length of 9.1 centimetres (3.6 in) SL, while females can reach a maximum length of 12.1 centimetres (4.8 in) SL.
The Biodiversity of Cape Town is the variety and variability of life within the geographical extent of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality, excluding the Prince Edward Islands. The terrestrial vegetation is particularly diverse and much of it is endemic to the city and its vicinity. Terrestrial and freshwater animal life is heavily impacted by urban development and habitat degradation. Marine life of the waters immediately adjacent to the city along the Cape Peninsula and in False Bay is also diverse, and while also impacted by human activity, the habitats are relatively intact.
The Cape horse mackerel is a mackerel-like species in the family Carangidae. It is a pelagic species of the south eastern Atlantic Ocean which is a target of fisheries, mainly as bycatch.
The Ningaloo maskray is a species of stingray in the family Dasyatidae, found along the northwestern coast of Australia. Measuring up to 30 cm (12 in) across, it has a diamond-shaped pectoral fin disc with a blunt snout and rounded outer corners. Its tail is whip-like with both upper and lower fin folds. This species has a distinctive dorsal color pattern consisting of numerous small, sharp-edged deep orange spots and slightly larger, fuzzy-edged pale blue spots on a yellowish brown background.
The Cape gurnard is a species of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Triglidae, the gurnards and sea robins. This species is found in the southeastern Atlantic Ocean and the southwestern Indian Ocean. This species is of commercial importance as a food fish.
Raja straeleni, the biscuit skate, false thornback skate, or spotted skate, is a species of marine fish in the skate family of order Rajiformes. It is native to the eastern Atlantic Ocean.
The northern tonguefish is a species of fish belonging to the family Cynoglossidae.
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