Saltpan Sole

Interesting Info

• The Saltpan Sole is a small species of flatfish in the tongue sole family (Cynoglossidae) and is endemic to northern Australia.
• They occur across northern Australia, including the Kimberley region, Northern Territory rivers, Gulf of Carpentaria, and Cape York Peninsula.
• Like all soles, they have a flattened, oval body with both eyes on the right side of the head, giving them a permanent “sideways” view as they lie against the substrate.
• Their colour is usually sandy-brown to grey with speckled markings, while the underside is pale. This camouflage allows them to bury in sand or mud with only their eyes exposed.
• They are unusual among flatfish because they are primarily freshwater to estuarine, living in rivers, billabongs, floodplains, and lagoons — sometimes far inland during the wet season.
• They can tolerate a wide range of salinity (fresh to brackish), making them a true euryhaline species.
• The species name salinarum comes from the saltpans and estuarine lagoons where it is often found.
• Their diet consists of tiny bottom-dwelling invertebrates such as worms, insect larvae, and small crustaceans.
• They are well camouflaged and often go unnoticed unless disturbed, when they dart away with a sudden burst of speed.
• Breeding happens during the wet season when rivers flood. The females release drifting eggs that hatch into free-swimming larvae, which later settle to the bottom as tiny flatfish.
• Lifespan is not well studied, but they are believed to live 3–5 years, similar to other small flatfish