# Sole (*Soleidae*) Sole is a flat fish that lives on the ocean floor. They have a delicate flavor and are a favorite in many dishes! - **Category:** [Fish](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/fish) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 2/5 · Low - **Habitat:** Sandy ocean floors - **Also known as:** Common Sole, Dover Sole, Sole Fish ![Sole](https://res.cloudinary.com/drieglelr/image/upload/v1771424463/objects/4704.jpg) ## Appearance The Sole has a flat, oval-shaped body with both eyes located on one side of its head, usually the right. Its skin is typically mottled brown, grey, or sandy to perfectly blend with the seafloor. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Actinopterygii - **Order:** Pleuronectiformes - **Family:** Soleidae ## Interesting facts - Many sole species can squirt jets of water from their mouths to uncover hidden prey! - Most sole prefer to lie on their left side, with both eyes looking up from the right. - Sole fish use special taste buds on their fins to 'sniff out' food buried in the sand. - Their flat bodies help them squeeze into tiny spaces on the seafloor to hide. ## Special abilities - **Perfect Camouflage:** Sole can change their skin color and pattern to match the seabed, helping them disappear from predators. - **Sand Burial:** Sole can quickly bury themselves in sand or mud, hiding completely from plain sight. - **Migrating Eyes:** Sole are born with eyes on opposite sides, but one eye moves to the other side as they grow. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 20-70 cm - **Weight:** 0.1-3 kg - **Lifespan:** 5-20 years - **Swim Speed:** 5 km/h - **Maximum Depth:** 200 m - **Water Type:** Saltwater ## Diet & Feeding Sole are expert hunters, feasting on small worms, crustaceans, and shellfish found in the seafloor. - **Primary Foods:** polychaete worms, small crustaceans, bivalve mollusks, amphipods - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Atlantic Cod](https://www.snappit.app/explore/atlantic-cod) (*Gadus morhua*) — A common predator of many sole species. - **Eaten by:** Small-spotted catshark (*Scyliorhinus canicula*) — Hunts flatfish like sole on the seabed. - **Eats:** Ragworm (*Hediste diversicolor*) — A primary food source for sole, dug from the sand. - **Eats:** Common shrimp (*Crangon crangon*) — Sole forage for these small crustaceans on the seafloor. ## Traits - [Wildlife](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wildlife): Wildlife encompasses all undomesticated animal and plant life existing in their natural habitats. - [Camouflaged](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/camouflaged): Camouflaged describes organisms that possess coloring or patterns that allow them to blend into their environment. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Piscivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/piscivorous): Piscivorous organisms are animals that primarily subsist on a diet of fish. - [Aquatic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aquatic): Aquatic habitats encompass environments where organisms live predominantly in water, including oceans, rivers, lakes, and wetlands. - [Marine](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/marine): Marine habitats encompass all saltwater environments of the Earth's oceans, supporting an immense diversity of aquatic life. ## Collections - [Fish](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/fish) ## Safety **Danger:** 2/5 · Low Watch quietly from a distance and never try to feed or chase wild animals. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Sole? Look at body shape, where the fins sit and their outline, mouth position, stripes and spots. Young fish and breeding adults can wear different patterns, and aquarium color varieties can look nothing like wild fish. Fish Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Sole? 20-70 cm ### How much does Sole weigh? 0.1-3 kg ### How long does Sole live? 5-20 years ### What does Sole eat? Sole are expert hunters, feasting on small worms, crustaceans, and shellfish found in the seafloor. ### How fast can Sole swim? 5 km/h ### Where is Sole usually found? Sandy ocean floors ### How does Sole hunt? Foraging ## More Fish - [Rainbow Trout](https://www.snappit.app/explore/rainbow-trout) (*Oncorhynchus mykiss*) - [Brown Trout](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-trout) (*Salmo trutta*) - [Brook Trout](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brook-trout) (*Salvelinus fontinalis*) - [Lake Trout](https://www.snappit.app/explore/lake-trout) (*Salvelinus namaycush*) --- Source: [Sole: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/sole)