Latin name

Limanda sakhalinensis

Other name

Limanda aspera korigarei, limanda korigarei, limanda sakhalinensis.

Identification

The body of the Sakhalin sole is elongated and oval-shaped. It has a small mouth and a convex part between the eyes. The lateral line above the pectoral fin forms a high to medium arc.

Features of fish fins

These fish have 69-74 rays in their dorsal fin, and 54-58 rays in their anal fin.

Fish colouring

Its upper body is medium to dark brown, while its underside is white. The fins are brown.

Distribution

They are widespread in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, from the Sea of Okhotsk to the western and central Bering Sea, and up to the Pribilof Islands. There is no confirmation of their occurrence near Alaska.

Habitat

Polar sea-bottom fish. They inhabit depths ranging from 10 to 360 meters, though more often from 50 to 100 meters.

Size

This species of fish has an average length of about 21.5 cm, though it can grow up to 36 cm. The maximum recorded weight is 500 grams, and the life expectancy is eight years.

The percentage of standard length is as follows:

Head length: 23-25%

Highest body height: 39-47%

Lowest body height (tail stem): 11%

Diameter of the upper eye: 5-6%

Width of the interorbital space: 1-1.5%

Snout length to the upper eye: 4-5%

Length of the upper jaw of the eye side of the head: 6.5-7.5%

Length of the upper jaw of the blind side of the head: 7.5-8%

Length of the pectoral fin of the eye side of the body: 11.5-13.6%

Length of the pectoral fin of the blind side of the body: 10-12%

Behavior

It inhabits the shelf at water temperatures near the bottom ranging from -1.6 to 10.0 °C. It has been repeatedly observed in the water column 100-140 meters above the bottom.         

Food and feeding habits

Their diet consists mainly of zoobenthos organisms, including polychaetes, amphipods, krill, and other crustaceans. Pelagic larvae feed on copepods and mollusk larvae. Young fish that are 5 to 16 centimeters long feed on small polychaetes, amphipods, cumaceans, and euphausiids. Adult fish feed on Maldane sp. and Ampharete acutifrons, as well as the crustaceans Thysanoessa sp. and Leucon sp.

Reproduction

Sexual maturation occurs at a length of 13 cm and at an age of 3+. Almost all individuals become sexually mature at a length of 20-25 cm and at an age of 5-6. They spawn in the western Kamchatka area in July and August at depths of 40 to 60 meters. Fecundity ranges from 41 to 972 thousand eggs. The eggs are pelagic. The hatched larvae are 1.3–1.4 mm long. The pelagic larvae sink to the bottom when they reach 40–50 mm in length. Young fish, measuring 5 to 16 cm in length, are found at depths of 40 to 65 meters.

Fishing

This species is not yet considered industrially important, primarily due to its small size. However, it is harvested as bycatch for yellowfin sole.

Relationship with a person

Harmless.