Senegalese Sole

The Senegalese sole is very similar to the common sole and like it, it has a flattened, oval body with the dorsal fin starting on the upper profile of the head to the front of the upper eye. The dorsal fin has 73–86 rays, the anal fin has 61–74 rays, and there is a well-developed pectoral fin on each side of its body which has 7–10 rays. The caudal fin is attached to the last rays of the dorsal and anal fins by a narrow membrane. There are numerous small and hair-like fringes on the blind side of the head, and the distance between the upper eye and the dorsal profile of the head is greater than the diameter of the eye. The anterior nostril on the blind side is surrounded by a small ridge, but is not enlarged. The lateral line is made up of 120–138 pored scales. The Senegalese sole is greyish brown in colour on the eyed side, marked with numerous blue spots (which tend to disappear in dead specimens); the blind side is whitish. The pectoral fin on the eyed side has a nearly black membrane, which contrasts with the cream-coloured fin rays. This feature also allows one to distinguish between this species and the common sole; the latter has a neat black spot close to the margin of the pectoral fin instead. The Senegalese sole grows to a standard length of 60 cm, but is more commonly about 45 cm.

The Selegalese sole originally occurred only in the eastern Atlantic, from southern Great Britain and Ireland (where it is rare) to Angola, including the Canary Islands. It is thought to have invaded the Mediterranean Sea via Gibraltar in the early 20th century. It expanded quickly in the western basin; and now is now found in places as far east as the Aegean Sea and the Sea of Marmara. It is, of course, also found off the southern coast of the Mediterranean, including Tunisia, where it is an important resource.