Family : Cynoglossidae (Tonguefishes) , subfamily: Cynoglossinae
Order : Pleuronectiformes  (flatfishes)
Class : Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
Fishbase Name : Long tongue sole
Fish Name : Cynoglossus lingua
Max size : 45.0 cm TL (male/unsexed; Ref. 11298)
Environment : demersal; amphidromous ; depth range 10 - 961 m
Climate : tropical; 25°N - 10°S
Global Importance : fisheries: commercial
Resilience: Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.)Distribution : Indo-West Pacific: Malay Archipelago including Thailand, Viet Nam, the Philippines and Indonesia westward to seas and estuaries of India and Pakistan to the Red Sea (Ref. 9895).
Diagnosis : Dorsal spines (total): 0-0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 126-138; Anal spines: 0-0; Anal soft rays: 97-114. Eyed side reddish brown, sometimes with irregular brown-black patches, with a large black blotch on gill cover. Body very elongate, its depth 17 to 22% SL. Eyes with a small interorbital space. Corner of mouth reaching well beyond vertical through posterior margin of lower eye, much nearer to gill opening than to tip of snout. Caudal-fin rays 10. No lateral lines on blind side. Scales comparatively large, ctenoid on eyed side of body, cycloid (smooth) on blind side. Midlateral-line scales 90 to 101. Only 11 or 12 scale rows between lateral lines on eyed side of body (Ref 9895).
Biology : Lives mainly in shallow muddy and sandy bottoms of the continental shelf. Enters estuaries and tidal rivers (Ref. 1479, 48637). Usually deeply burried in the substrate during the day, but out and hunting at night (Ref. 48637). Feeds mainly on benthic invertebrates. Marketed mostly fresh and frozen; also dried-salted (Ref. 9895)
Threatened : Dangerous:  
Dangerous : harmless
Coordinator :
Main Ref : Menon, A.G.K.. 1977. (Ref. 5297)

India country information
Common Names : Long tonguesole, ळीप, வரியல், கொட்டரலு, கொட்ரலு , வரீமலு , Kotaralu, Kukurjibh, Lep, Lep, Long tongue sole, Long tongue-sole, Vari-allu
Status : native
Salinity : brackish, marine
Uses : no uses