Cyclopsetta chittendeni
Mexican Flounder
Collection Details
Specimens
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Records
Taxonomic Hierarchy
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned Fishes)
Pleuronectfiormes (Flatfishes)
Paralichthyidae (Sand Flounders)
Cyclopsetta
Cyclopsetta chittendeni (Mexican Flounder)
Description
This species account was compiled from
Composite (multiple sources) (McEachran, J.D. and J.D. Fechhelm. Fishes of the Gulf of Mexico. University of Texas Press, Austin.)
and processed using AI-assisted text extraction.
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Characters
Moderately elongate and oval in profile, lateral line only slightly arched anteriorly. Eyes close set, separated by moderately narrow concave ridge, upper eye directly above lower eye. Mouth large, upper jaw extending to posterior margin of lower eye, lower jaw with angular process on ventral aspect of symphysis. Jaws symmetrical, teeth relatively large and symmetrically arranged, slender, sharp pointed, larger anteriorly. Gill rakers on first arch short, broad based, and covered with teeth, 3-5 on upper limb and 8-9 on lower limb. Measurements (% SL): head length 26%-29%, snout length 5%-6%, orbit diameter 5%-6%, upper jaw length 14%-15%, ocular-side pectoral fin length 13%-15%, body depth 45%-49%. Pectoral fin on ocular side with oblique distal margin and 14-16 rays. Dorsal fin with 82-90 rays, first several rays slightly longer and partially free of membranes. Pelvic fin bases short, ocular-side fin inserting on midline and slightly posterior to blind-side fin. Anal fin with 63-69 rays. Caudal fin margin obtusely angled. Scales cycloid and adherent on both sides, lateral line scales 74-80.
Ocular side brown with large black blotch under pectoral fin, three dark spots on dorsal fin, two on anal fin, and three on distal margin of caudal fin. Blind side white.
Distribution
Western Atlantic from northern Gulf of Mexico to Brazil
Northern and southern Gulf of Mexico
Habitat Associations
Between 18 and 137 m depth
Biology
Maximum known size 320 mm TL
Occurs in bays, lagoons and shallow coastal waters. Found on soft bottoms (Ref. 5217). Marketed fresh (Ref. 5217).
Reproductive mode: dioecism; fertilization: external; nonguarders (open water/substratum egg scatterers); parental care: none. Distinct pairing (Ref. 205). Number of ovaries: 2. Ovaries are symmetrical, lie parallel with each other, depressed cross-sectionally and extra-visceral in location (Ref. 101557).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC), assessed 2021-02-13. Resilience: High (K=0.78).
Commercial or Environmental Importance
Fisheries: minor commercial.
References
Gunter 1946 (as C. decussata)
Hildebrand 1955
Gutherz 1967
Dawson 1968
Hoese and Moore 1977
Hoese and Moore 1998
Matsuura 1983p
Robins and Ray 1986
Boschung 1992
Schaldach et al. 1997
Smith 1997
Munroe 2002c
Breder, C.M. and D.E. Rosen (1966) Modes of reproduction in fishes. T.F.H. Publications, Neptune City, New Jersey. 941 p.
Cervigón, F., R. Cipriani, W. Fischer, L. Garibaldi, M. Hendrickx, A.J. Lemus, R. Márquez, J.M. Poutiers, G. Robaina and B. Rodriguez (1992) Fichas FAO de identificación de especies para los fines de la pesca. Guía de campo de las especies comerciales marinas y de aquas salobres de la costa septentrional de Sur América. FAO, Rome. 513 p. Preparado con el financiamento de la Comisión de Comunidades Europeas y de NORAD.
Robins, C.R. and G.C. Ray (1986) A field guide to Atlantic coast fishes of North America. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, U.S.A. 354 p.
Amaral, A.C.Z. and A.E. Migotto (1980) Importancia dos anelídos poliquetas na alimentação da macrofauna demersale epibentônica da Região de Ubatuba. Bolm. Inst. Oceanogr., S. Paulo 29(2):31-35.
Rodriguez, A., K. Mendoza and J. Paramo (2023) Length-weight relationships and relative condition factor of 53 species of Shallow-Water fish in the Colombian Caribbean Sea. J. Appl. Ichthyol. 2023(6632464):1-10.
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