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Illustration of Fringed flounder
fishing forecast

fringed flounder

Etropus crossotus · full profile

location

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period

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the species

everything about the fringed flounder

how to recognize it

A flattened flounder with both eyes on the same side and long dorsal and anal fins made only of soft rays, which give its outline the fringed look its name suggests. It lives more in estuaries and shallow water, 0 to 30 m, than Cyclopsetta fimbriata, which lives at 20 to 230 m. Citharichthys spilopterus also enters estuaries, but goes down to 75 m.

Also called: linguado-franjado, linguado, lenguado ribete, lenguado boca chica, fringed flounder

don't confuse with:

We don't have tips on season, bait or technique for this species yet.

Where to look: Estuaries and shallow sand and mud bottoms, 0 to 30 m.

In Latin America it occurs in countries such as Brazil, Venezuela, Cuba, Mexico, Ecuador and Peru, in estuaries and shallow sand and mud bottoms, in both oceans.

coast

North CoastNortheast CoastSoutheast CoastSouth Coastcoastal

rules for the fringed flounder

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.

Conservation: Not on the Brazilian national list (Ministerial Ordinance GM/MMA No. 1.667/2026).

how much it weighs without taking it out of the water

estimated weight

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how we calculate

Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.00851, b = 3.08; FishBase (relação peso-comprimento bayesiana, estimativa da própria espécie)). It's an average: a fat or lean fish can vary by 10% to 20%.

more about the fringed flounder

A flounder of the family Cyclopsettidae, with a flattened body and both eyes on the same side. It reaches 22 cm, and the common size is about 15 cm. It lives on sand and mud bottoms, in estuaries and shallow parts of the coast, generally down to 30 m, but it can reach 100 m. It eats large bottom invertebrates and small fish. It occurs on both coasts of the Americas, in the Atlantic and the eastern Pacific, and is caught on a small scale by the commercial fleet.

Family: Cyclopsettidae · predator

fun facts

  • It spawns several times, over a long spawning period.

in the kitchen

It is usually taken fresh, on a small scale in commercial fishing.

similar species

sources and references (3)

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.

  1. scientific FishBase: Etropus crossotus (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
  2. scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Etropus crossotusNames by country and language.
  3. official Portaria GM/MMA nº 1.667, de 27 de abril de 2026: Lista Nacional Oficial de Espécies da Fauna Ameaçadas de Extinção (peixes e invertebrados aquáticos)The species is not on the list. Checked in the DOU of April 28, 2026.