smallscaled flatfish

Cynoglossus abbreviatus

Fish
IUCN: Data deficient

Usual depth5–85 m
Water temperature14–29 °C
Best monthsMarch and May
How commonRare

About this species

Cynoglossus abbreviatus, commonly known as the three-lined tongue sole, is a species of tonguefish. It is indigenous to the coast of the South China Sea, commonly found in shallow muddy or sandy waters along the coast of China, Taiwan, Korea and Japan.

Text from the Wikipedia article “Cynoglossus abbreviatus”, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the article

Where and when

Where it has been recorded

Worldwide

Loading the map

Best months

Worldwide (open data)

January: 0 records
February: 0 records
March: 2 records
April: 0 records
May: 2 records
June: 0 records
July: 1 records
August: 1 records
September: 1 records
October: 1 records
November: 1 records
December: 0 records

Depth and water temperature

Depth

Mostly recorded at 5–85 m · Deepest record: 85 m

0–10 m: 2 records
10–20 m: 0 records
20–30 m: 1 records
30–40 m: 0 records
40–50 m: 0 records
50–60 m: 0 records
60–70 m: 0 records
70–80 m: 0 records
80–90 m: 1 records

Water temperature

Recorded in surface water of 14–29 °C

12–14 °C: 1 records
14–16 °C: 0 records
16–18 °C: 2 records
18–20 °C: 5 records
20–22 °C: 0 records
22–24 °C: 0 records
24–26 °C: 2 records
26–28 °C: 1 records
28–30 °C: 5 records

Names and classification

English: smallscaled flatfish, Three-lined Tongue Sole, tonguesole

Names in 3 more languages

Japanese: Korai-aka-shita-birame, Koraiakashitabirame, Kourai-aka-shita-birame, コウライアカシタビラメ
Korean: Yong- seo-dae
Simplified Chinese: 扁魚, 比目魚, 牛舌, 皇帝魚, 短吻三線舌鰨, 短舌鰨, 龍舌

Other scientific names: Areliscus abbreviatus, Plagusia abbreviata, Trulla abbreviata

Similar species

Zanzibar tonguesole
Cynoglossus zanzibarensis
Spotfin Tongue Sole
Cynoglossus maculipinnis
Broadhurst's Tongue-sole
Cynoglossus broadhursti
McCulloch's Tongue-sole
Cynoglossus maccullochi
Malabar Sole
Cynoglossus macrostomus
Speckled Tonguesole
Cynoglossus puncticeps

Sources and credits

Names and taxonomy: WoRMS (CC BY 4.0) and the GBIF Backbone (CC BY 4.0). Photos: iNaturalist observers, each under the licence shown (CC0, CC BY or CC BY-SA).

Depth, temperature, months and maps: records from OBIS and GBIF under CC0 or CC BY.
Descriptions: Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA, each linked to its article.
Conservation status as published by GBIF (IUCN Red List).
38 open-data records from 1929 to 2009.
Species data updated November 2, 2026.

Log what you see on your next dive

The free DiveHive diver app keeps your logbook with every sighting and shows what lives at the site you dive next.

Join the waitlist