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Taxonomy and Fishery of Flatfishes

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Relation http://eprints.cmfri.org.in/15720/
 
Title Taxonomy and Fishery of Flatfishes
 
Creator Nair, Rekha J
Gopalakrishnan, A
 
Subject Demersal Fishes
Flat fishes
Fish Taxonomy
 
Description According to Nelson (2016), 772 extant species of flatfishes are recognized worldwide in 14
families with 129 genera; about 10 species (six achirids, one soleid, and three cynoglossids) are
said to be fresh water. The first mention of flatfishes in Ichthyology was in 1686 by Willughby
in L’Historia piscium where flatfishes were placed as Ossei Plani (Flat bony). Broussonet
(1782) described a single flatfish Pleuronectes mancus in his work “Ichthyologia.” Artedi
(1792) placed all flatfishes in the one genus Pleuronectes in the group Malacopterygii based on
“laterally compressed body, single continuous dorsal fin, and pelvic fin thoracic in position.”
The name “Pleuronectes” was introduced in zoology for the first time by Artedi and Linnaeus
followed his example. in Genera Piscium described genus Pleuronectes as “fish with dextral
eyes, oblong body,” and included 29 species. Lacepede (1801) in his “Histoire Naurelle des
Poissons” placed flatfishes in genus Pleuronectus with 4 subgenera without assigning them any
names and described 29 species in them. Later, Russell (1803) recorded eight species of flatfish
from the Coramendal coast – Hippoglossus erumei, Rhombus marginatus, R. triocellatus,
Synaptura Russellii, Synaptura lata Blkr (Solea lata, Hass), Synaptura cornuta Blkr (Solea
cornuta Cuv), Plagusia potous Cuv, and Plagusia Blochii Blkr. This was followed by Dumeril
(1804) who raised flatfishes to family status and gave the name Heterosomes. Quensel (1806)
further divided the genus Pleuronectes into two – Pleuronectes and Solea. Hamilton (1822) in
his account of the fishes in the River Ganges described two genera Pleuronectes and Achirus
with 4 species Pleuronectes nauphala, Pleuronecetes arsius, Pleuronectes pan, and Achirus
cynoglossus. Richardson (1843), in contributions to the Ichthyology of Australia, Vol. XI of
“The Annals and Magazine of Natural History” described a new species of flatfish Rhombus
lentiginosus. In 1843, Temminck and Schlegel published “Fauna Japonica” wherein four
species were described. Later, Muller in 1846 erected a new order Anacanthinii to include
Pleuronectoids, Gadoids, and Ophidiods. Cantor (1849) in his Catalogue of Malayan Fishes
described Family Pleuronectidae in Order Anacanthini with 14 species in 7 genera; fishes were
grouped based on presence of eye and color patterns on right or left side. Bleeker in “Sur
quelque genre de la Famille des Pleuronectoides” placed flatfishes in genera in the family
Pleuronectoides.
 
Publisher ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute
 
Date 2022
 
Type Book Section
PeerReviewed
 
Format text
 
Language en
 
Identifier http://eprints.cmfri.org.in/15720/1/Winter%20School%20on%20Recent%20Development%20in%20Taxonomic%20Techniques%20of%20Marine%20Fishes%20for%20Conservation%20and%20Sustainable%20Fisheries%20Management_2022_Goplakarishnan%20A_Flatfishes.pdf
Nair, Rekha J and Gopalakrishnan, A (2022) Taxonomy and Fishery of Flatfishes. In: ICAR-CMFRI -Winter School on Recent Development in Taxonomic Techniques of Marine Fishes for Conservation and Sustainable Fisheries Management. ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute, Kochi, pp. 262-281.