Aesopia cornuta Kaup, 1858
Unicorn sole
photo by CSIRO

Family:  Soleidae (Soles)
Max. size:  25 cm SL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  reef-associated; marine; depth range 8 - 100 m
Distribution:  Indo-West Pacific: Red Sea, Mozambique, South Africa, India and Japan. Reported from Indonesia and northwestern Australia (Ref. 5978).
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 0-0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 69-79; Anal spines: 0-0; Anal soft rays: 59-66; Vertebrae: 46-46. Greyish or brown, with 15-16 dark bars edged with black (the first 3 bars on head); caudal fin blackish with pale spots (Ref. 3200). Description: Characterized further by having a completely confluent caudal fin with dorsal and anal fins; pectoral rays branched on both eyed and blind side 11-15; smooth scales on both sides; elevated and scaleless interorbital space; thickened and prolonged first dorsal fin ray with numerous dorsal hair-like projections; ventral edge of head with fringe or cirri; greatest depth of body 2.7-3.1 in SL (Ref. 90102).
Biology:  Found in coastal waters (Ref. 30573), on sand or mud bottoms to at least 100 m (Ref. 9710, 11230, 48637).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 02 March 2015 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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