fishes text index | photo index
Phylum Chordata > Subphylum Vertebrate > fishes
Photo index of fishes on Singapore shores
Flattened fishes: others


Tongue-soles
Family Cynoglossidae

Ovate sole
Solea ovata

Peacock sole
Pardachirus pavoninus

Largetooth flounder
Family Paralichthyidae

Oriental sole
Brachirus orientalis
3-6cm, grows to about 18cm. Eyes on left side. Tail fin joined to the dorsal and anal fins. Sandy areas near seagrasses. Sometimes seen on our Northern shores. 4-5cm, grows to about 9cm. Eyes on the right side. Tail fin joined to dorsal and anal fins only at the base. Sandy areas near seagrasses. Sometimes seen on our Northern shores. 15cm, grows to about 25cm. Eyes on right side. Tail fin joined to dorsal and anal fins only at the base. Sandy areas near seagrasses. Sometimes seen on our Northern shores. 15-20cm, grows to about 35cm. Eyes on left side. Tail fin separated from the dorsal and anal fins. Sandy areas near seagrasses and reefs. Sometimes seen on our some of our shores. To about 24cm. Eyes on right side. Tail fin joined to dorsal and anal fins. Body oval with bloches. Sometimes seen on our shores.

Three-spot flounder
Grammatobothus polyophthalmus

Indian halibut
Psettodes erumei

Zebra sole
Zebrias zebra

Commerson's sole
Synaptura commersonnii
 
17cm. Eyes on left side. Body more circular than oval, with three large eye-like spots. Tail fin separated from the dorsal and anal fins. Small one seen once on Cyrene Reef. 20cm, grows to about 60cm. Eyes on left or right side. Tail fin separated from the dorsal and anal fins. Seen once on Changi. To about 20cm. Eyes on the right side. Tail fin joined to dorsal and anal fins. Body oval with 10-12 pairs of dark-and-white stripes. Tail with bright yellow and black markings. Seen once at Changi. 20cm, grows to about 30cm. Eyes on right side. Tail fin joined to dorsal and anal fins. Fins dark with conspicuous white margin, body plain without markings. Sandy areas near seagrasses. Sometimes seen on our Northern shores.  

Smallhead dragonet
Callionymus erythraeus

Mosaic dragonet
Callionymus enneactis

Kuiter's dragonet
Dactylopus kuiteri
   
5-8cm long. Lacks scales. Broad head with small downward pointing mouth. Pattern of spots. Sandy areas near seagrasses. Commonly seen on our Northern shores. 3-5cm long. Broad head with small downward pointing mouth. Pattern of patches. Sandy areas near reefs. Sometimes seen on our some of our shores. To 18cm long. Large flag-like dorsal fin. Seagrass meadows. Seen once at Cyrene Reef.    

Crocodile flathead goby
Psammogobius biocellatus

Bartail flathead
Platycephalus indicus

Fringe-eyed flathead
Cymbacephalus nematophthalmus
   
6-8cm. Flattened head with wide mouth. Single 'eyelid' over the eyes. Sandy areas near seagrasses and reefs. Sometimes seen on some of our shores. 8-12cm. Flattened head with wide mouth. Keyhole 'eyelid' over the eyes, colourful black-white-yellow tail, but hard to see. Muddy and sandy areas near seagrasses. Sometimes seen on some of our shores. 6-20cm. Flattened head with wide mouth, 6-9 skin tentacles over the eye, 7-8 dusky bars on the back and sides, fins with variegated patterns. Near reefs. Commonly seen on many of our shores.    

This is NOT a fish
       
Large flatworms and small flatfishes sometimes look similar.        

how to tell apart



photo index of
fishes on this site
all fishes

typical fish-shape

  small < 5cm
medium 5-10cm
large > 10cm

globular
boxy, stone-like

flattened fishes
flattened downwards
  sting rays
others

disk-shaped
flattened sideways

long
  eel-, worm-like
stick-like

others

  mudskippers
odd shaped
living w others
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