PORT PHILLIP BAY


Mueller's Flounder 

Arnoglossus muelleri (Klunzinger, 1872)

View scientific description and taxonomy

Scientific Details

Meristics.
Dorsal fin spines/rays: 90-99
Anal fin spines/rays: 72-77
Caudal fin rays: 15
Pectoral fin rays: 10-12
Ventral fin spines/rays: 6
Lateral line: 65-73
Gill rakers: 7-10
Vertebrae: 42-44

Interpreting fin count meristics.
Spines are in Roman numerals and soft rays are in Arabic numerals. Spines and rays that are continuous in one fin are separated by a comma. Fin sections are separated by semicolons.

Detailed descriptions of fin count and other meristics are in:
Gomon, M.F., Bray, D.J. and Kuiter, R.H. (2008) Fishes of Australia's Southern Coast. Sydney : Reed New Holland 928 pp.

Order level detail.
Adults with deep, highly compressed bodies and both eyes on the same side of the head. The long-based dorsal and anal fins are usually separate from the caudal fin. Some lack pectoral fins and have a single pelvic fin. Some groups have eyes on the right sides, whereas others have eyes on the left side, and others have eyes on either the right or the left side.

Family level detail.
Flatfishes with both eyes on left side of head, pelvic foins with asymmetrical bases and the lateral line on head without a branch extending below lower eye; bones of gill cover distinct, not covered by skin and scales. Southern Australian representatives with pectoral fins and obviously separate dorsal, anal and caudal fins. Individuals lie flat on sand with usually unpigmented right side facing downwards and eyes directed upwards.

Taxonomy

Phylum:
Chordata
Subphylum:
Craniata
Superclass:
Gnathostomata
Class:
Actinopterygii
Order:
Pleuronectiformes
Family:
Bothidae
Genus:
Arnoglossus
Species:
muelleri

General Description

Body extremely flattened with both eyes on the left side of the head, two pelvic fins, pelvic fin on eyed-side with a longer base than that on blind side; dorsal and anal fins separate from tail. Eyed-side brown with variable dark and pale spots and speckles, usually with large dark spots on midside. Difficult to distinguish from the Bass Strait Flounder, Arnoglossus bassensis, which also lives in Victorian coastal waters. Mueller's Flounder has slightly larger scales and eyes, and appears to be more common. To 21 cm.

Biology

Appears to be more common than related species that occupy the same shelly, sandy habitats.

Habitat

Broken shelly and sandy bottoms, in 5-200 m.

Soft substrates

Distribution guide

Southern Australia.

Species Group

Fishes › Flatfishes and flounders

Depth

Shallow (1-30 m)
Deep ( > 30 m)

Water Column

On or near sea floor

Max Size

21 cm

Diet

Carnivore

Commercial Species

No

Global Dispersal

Native to Australia

Conservation Status

  • DSE Advisory List : Not listed
  • EPBC Act 1999 : Not listed
  • IUCN Red List : Not listed

Author

article author Bray, D.J.

Di Bray is a Senior Collection Manager of ichthyology at Museum Victoria.

Author

article author Gomon, M.F.

Dr. Martin Gomon is a Senior Curator of ichthyology at Museum Victoria.

citation

Cite this page as:
Bray, D.J. & Gomon, M.F., 2011, Mueller's Flounder, Arnoglossus muelleri, in Taxonomic Toolkit for marine life of Port Phillip Bay, Museum Victoria, accessed 25 Feb 2025, http://136.154.202.208:8098/species/6485

Text: creative commons cc by licence