smalleye flounder
Paralichthys microps
Flatfish of Chile, reaching 41 cm. It is caught by commercial fishing.
Also called: linguado-de-olho-pequeno, linguado, lenguado de ojos chicos
- maximum
- 41 cm
- record/max.
- 0.8 kg
who is the smalleye flounder
The small-eye flounder is a fish of the family Paralichthyidae that lives on the bottom in the southeastern Pacific. In Latin America, the species occurs only in Chile, between 18°S and 51°S. It reaches 41 cm and 798 g. It is a flatfish with a short, deep body. It is used in commercial fishing. In Chile it is called lenguado de ojo chico or de ojos chicos, names that mean small-eyed flounder.
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 smalleye flounder; in the meantime, see the similar species.
fun facts
- The published maximum weight is 798 g.
identification
Flatfish with a short, deep body, flattened like the other flatfish of the family, with both eyes on the same side of the head. The name suggests small eyes. It lives on the bottom off the coast of Chile. On the same coast also live the Pacific flounder (Paralichthys adspersus), of the same genus, and the bigeye flounder (Hippoglossina macrops), of a different genus.
Loading the next 7 days…
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, the species occurs in Chile, in the southeastern Pacific, between 18°S and 51°S.
Habitat: Sea bottom off the coast of Chile.
rules for the smalleye 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. Release it carefully and do not squeeze the body when removing the hook.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.00676, b = 3.16; FishBase (relação peso-comprimento bayesiana, estimativa pelo gênero e formato do corpo)). It's an average: a fat or lean fish can vary by 10% to 20%.
estimated weight
—
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: Paralichthys microps (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Paralichthys micropsNames by country and language.
