Unusual Flatfish - Id Help Needed!

[sultzer]

this is great

i am sticking with a cross breed

i have caught a few funny looking flatfish before but never took any notice

still need to get 1 that glowa in the dark though

[Ian Burrett]

That's it then

A mutant ninja dab

[The doctor]

No definitely the first time I've posted on anglers net, lurked for quite a while though, but being a marine biologist by profession I thought I'd chip in with a proper ID to save any further embarrasing mis-id's.

 

It may well have a few mutant genes, but not due to any power station effects, natural mutation is relatively common in some sea fish, especially flatfish, double sided coloured or white both sided flounder spring to mind (Ambi-colouration).

 

Cheers

 

 

 

Doc

[Ian Burrett]

Hi Nigel and welcome aboard AN

[Ken Davison South Wales]

Welcome aboard Doc, this is quite an exciting thread, so what is your verdict??

[chappers]

he's already given it and as we thought its a ****ing dab

[Davy Holt]

Hiya Doc,

 

 

he's already given it and as we thought its a ****ing dab

 

I must have missed your post saying it was a Dab :D

[a1angler]

No definitely the first time I've posted on anglers net, lurked for quite a while though, but being a marine biologist by profession I thought I'd chip in with a proper ID to save any further embarrasing mis-id's.

 

It may well have a few mutant genes, but not due to any power station effects, natural mutation is relatively common in some sea fish, especially flatfish, double sided coloured or white both sided flounder spring to mind (Ambi-colouration).

 

Cheers

Doc

 

Hi Doc,

 

Well we seem to be getting somewhere now, and it is getting difficult to see any alternative to it being a dab. But we do need to rewrite the textbooks, with rough scales not being a consistent feature of the species any more. I guess we can keep the textbooks if we put this down to a spontaneous mutation affecting scales (and probably teeth also), but how does that square with the fact that another one was caught nearly 100 miles away?

 

However, I still think Dale's idea of a hybrid is a possibility and I've found literature references to dab-flounder hybrids, but sadly don't have a marine biology library handy to check it out :-)

 

Never thought this discussion would run as long :-)

 

Cheers,

Alan

[Ken Davison South Wales]

he's already given it and as we thought its a ****ing dab

 

Thanks Gareth, missed that post

 

I know the Docs' comments on colour are correct through the animal world, what mizzed me was the smooth skin, I always thought the scales were a good way of sorting the dabs, I have only caught them with rough skin.

[spanner]

It must be the season for freaky flatfish....

 

I have never caught a left-handed flounder before but on Saturday I caught 3 flounders and all 3 of them were lefties......