fantail flounder
Xystreurys liolepis
Eastern Pacific flounder with a fan-shaped tail that buries itself in mud and sand. It is sold fresh and also attracts sport anglers.
Also called: linguado-cauda-de-leque, linguado, fantail flounder
- maximum
- 64 cm
- record/max.
- 4.0 kg
- depth
- 5–79 m
who is the fantail flounder
The fantail flounder is a fish of the family Paralichthyidae that lives in the eastern Pacific, from Monterey Bay, United States, to the Gulf of California, Mexico. It occurs on mud and sand bottoms, from 5 to 79 m, where it usually lies buried. It feeds almost only on crustaceans. It reaches 63.5 cm and 4 kg, and its common size is 25 cm. It has little commercial importance and is sold fresh, but it is also targeted by rod anglers.
Essential profile. Identification, where it occurs and rules, with data from FishBase and the cited regulations. Season, time of day, technique and bait are added once we have a good source for the fantail flounder; in the meantime, see the similar species.
fun facts
- It feeds almost only on crustaceans.
- It usually lies buried in the mud and sand bottom.
identification
Flatfish with a short, deep body and a wide tail that fans out, which gives it its Portuguese name. It usually lies buried in mud and sand. On the same coast, the California halibut (Paralichthys californicus) is much larger: it reaches 152 cm, against 63.5 cm for this species. Size is enough to tell the two apart.
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Each card shows the day's index (0 to 100) and, below it, a strip with the index for each hour, from 0h to 23h. from poor to excellent.
Essential profile: the index uses a general fish model (weather, sun, moon and tide), without a season or time of day specific to this species.
where found
In Latin America, it occurs in Mexico, as far as the Gulf of California. Farther north, it reaches Monterey Bay, United States.
Habitat: Mud and sand bottoms, from 5 to 79 m, usually buried.
rules for the fantail flounder
Summary of the regulations we found, with the source for each. Rules change; before keeping or transporting fish, check with the state environmental agency.
We found no species-specific rule beyond the region's general rules.
catch and release
catch and release Releasing the fish alive, quickly and with a wet hand. During a closed season it isn't always allowed: what the regulation says applies.
It has no spines or venom and is not dangerous. Release it carefully and remove the hook with pliers.
in the kitchen
It is sold fresh and has little commercial importance.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.00741, b = 3.22; FishBase (relação peso-comprimento bayesiana, estimativa da própria espécie)). It's an average: a fat or lean fish can vary by 10% to 20%.
estimated weight
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sources and references
Essential profile: size, length-weight, depth, countries and conservation come from FishBase and the cited regulations, and the texts were written from those sources. Season, time of day, sensitivities, technique and baits and lures are not included yet, because we did not find a good source for this species.
- scientific FishBase: Xystreurys liolepis (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Xystreurys liolepisNames by country and language.
