Description: A small, slender left-eyed flatfish that reaches up to 25 cm, with an elongated oval body. It is brown overall with some darker and lighter blotches of browns and greys, but this can vary to match the surrounding sea bed. There is usually a dark blotch at the pectoral fin. The scales are fragile. The dorsal fin starts in front of the upper eye and forms a fringe with some free rays, although none of these are elongated which helps differentiate from other scaldfish.

Habitat: Sandy or muddy sediment down to 200 m, but most commonly recorded between 10 - 60 m.

Distribution: Recorded from Irish Sea coasts as well as the English Channel and southern North Sea coasts. Very few records anywhere else. Probably under-recorded, recorded both offshore and inshore.

Similar Species: Could be difficult to identify in the field without at least a good photograph. Could potentially be confused with Thor's scaldfish (Arnoglossus thori) but it has a conspicuous single elongated fin ray at the head while Arnoglossus laterna has no elongated fin rays. Could also be confused with Arnoglossus imperialis (this species has 4-5 elongate fin rays).

Key Identification Features:

• Small, slender flatfish up to 25 cm.
• Dorsal fin forms fringe with free rays.
• Dark blotch at pectoral fin.
• Dorsal fin rays not elogated.

Distribution Map from NBN: Arnoglossus laterna at National Biodiversity Network mapping facility, data for UK.

iNaturalist: Arnoglossus laterna at iNaturalist World Species Observations database.

GBIF data for Arnoglossus laterna

WoRMS: Arnoglossus laterna at World Register of Marine Species. Accepted name: Arnoglossus laterna (Walbaum, 1792). AphiaID: 127126.

Classification: Biota; Animalia; Chordata; Vertebrata; Gnathostomata; Osteichthyes; Actinopterygii; Actinopteri; Teleostei; Pleuronectiformes; Bothidae; Arnoglossus