Achirus lineatus facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Achirus lineatus |
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The lined sole (Achirus lineatus) is a unique type of flatfish found in the western part of the Atlantic Ocean. It's a ray-finned fish, meaning its fins are supported by bony rays. This fish usually grows to about 17 centimeters (about 6.7 inches) long. Even though it's often caught by accident when people are fishing for other things, it's not usually sold or eaten.
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What Do Lined Soles Eat and Where Do They Live?
Lined soles are not picky eaters! They enjoy munching on small worms, tiny crustaceans (like shrimp), and other small fish.
Their Favorite Hangouts
You can find these flatfish in different watery places. They especially like:
- Lagoons that have a mix of fresh and salty water (called brackish) or very salty water (hypersaline).
- Estuaries, which are places where rivers meet the sea, often with sandy or muddy bottoms.
- Coastal areas near the shore (the littoral zone).
Hiding from Danger
Lined soles are masters of disguise! They can easily blend in with their surroundings. They often bury themselves in the sand or mud, leaving only their eyes sticking out. This helps them watch for both their next meal and any predators that might be looking for them. They can also be found near coral reefs and live in waters up to 20 meters (about 65 feet) deep.
How Lined Soles Grow and Reproduce
Lined soles seem to have babies all year long in some parts of their home range.
From Tiny Babies to Adults
When they are very young, baby lined soles float around in the water as tiny larvae (a stage called planktonic life). But they don't stay tiny for long! They quickly move to the bottom of the ocean (the benthic stage) and start to grow. However, they don't grow very fast.
Where Do Lined Soles Live?
You can find the lined sole all along the Western Atlantic coast. Their range stretches from Florida and the northern Gulf of Mexico all the way down to northern Argentina.
Living in Different Waters
Achirus lineatus is a very tough fish when it comes to water saltiness. It can live in a wide range of salt levels, from almost fresh water to very salty ocean water. For example, some have been found in the upper parts of the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee estuaries in Florida, where the water is nearly fresh.
Spotting the Lined Sole: Avoiding Mix-ups
It can be tricky to tell different flatfish apart, but with a careful look, you can usually identify a lined sole.
Right-Eyed vs. Left-Eyed Fish
Lined soles and other similar flatfish in their family (Achiridae) have their eyes on their right side. This helps tell them apart from other flatfish families like:
- Bothidae (lefteye flounders), which always have their left side facing up.
- Cynoglossidae (tonguefishes), which also have their left side up.
Another family, Pleuronectidae (right-eyed flounders), also has eyes on the right, but they usually live in colder waters than the lined sole.
Telling Lined Soles Apart from Similar Fish
Within the lined sole's own family (Achiridae), you can tell it apart from some other species by looking for vertical body bars. The lined sole does not have these bars. This helps distinguish it from the naked sole (Gymnachirus melas) and the fringed sole (G. texae).
The lined sole is sometimes confused with the hogchoker (Trinectes maculatus). But if a fish is longer than 15 millimeters, you can tell the hogchoker apart because it has no pectoral fin rays (the bony supports in its side fins). Lined soles are also easy to tell apart from scrawled soles (Trinectes inscriptus), which have a pattern of irregular dark lines all over their body.
Images for kids
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An 1865 lined sole watercolor painting by Jacques Burkhardt.
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See also
In Spanish: Achirus lineatus para niños
