Genus: Apionichthys, Longtail Sole, Soles

APIONICHTHYS

SOLES

Body elongate, tapering to tail; eyes minute, barely visible, on right side of the body; mouth small, oblique, strongly arched, a little under snout; lips fleshy; preoperculum edge covered with skin but visible as a superficial groove; gill openings are narrow slits, separate, not joining on lower body profile; the origin of the dorsal fin well before the eye; eye side pelvic rudimentary or absent, separate from blind side pelvic; tail fin bluntly pointed, connected by a membrane to dorsal and anal fins; body covered with rough scales, skin not loose; a straight lateral line with perpendicular branches running across body.

A genus of freshwater soles with 4 species, all from the Amazon area; 1 ranges into marine habitats in the southern fringe of our area.