C-O Sole
C-O Sole (Pleuronichthys coenosus), are flat fishes, which belong to the Pleuronectidae family and are found generally on the ocean floor.
C-O Sole Facts
Some of the interesting facts about these species are as follows
Physical Description
These are flatfishes, which grow up to a size of about 14 inches and weigh up to 200 pounds. But, these commonly weigh up to (10 to 80) pounds. They have highly compressed and deep eyes, which is at the tip of the snout. The upper part of these fish is light to dark brown and has white spots on their body. They have been known as C-O Sole fish because they have "C" and "O" shaped mark on their caudal fin. These fishes have round snout and their mouth is so small that it is not visible when seen from above.
What is Sole Fish?
Sole fish may belong to any of the 130 varieties of flatfish, according to the species of the United States. While in Europe sole fish means only the Dover sole fish. The flatfishes usually have elongated and flat body and their eyes are located on the right side of their head.
Common Flatfish
The flatfish which are famous in the United States are blackback flounder, yellow tail flounder, grey sole, dab flounder, fluke flounder and Atlantic halibut. Other than these expensive fishes like starry flounder, dover sole, petrale sole, flathead sole, etc. can be found on the west coast.
Habitat and Distribution
These Pleuronichthys coenosus can be found in both shallow and deep water. These species are the inhabitants of North Pacific Ocean. They are found from Japan to North America. These are also found in south of California. These c-o sole fishes have both of their eyes on one side of their head. They lie on the ocean floor and look for the prey. The top part of this fish is dark and thus the predators are not able to recognize these fishes easily.
Diet
At the younger stage, these flatfish feed on crustaceans and shellfish. When they grow they feed on live fishes, shell-fish and crustaceans. These fishes feed mostly in shallow water, mainly in the month of June, July and September.
Breeding / Reproduction
The spawning season of these species is most probably in the early spring and late winter. The eggs laid by the female float near the surface.
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