Fish of the Microchirus genus of the Soleoidei subfamily of the Soleidae family of the Pleuronectoidei suborder of the Pleuronectiformes (flatfishes) order of the Acanthopterygii superorder.
(Thickback sole. Photo by © A.M. Arias. ictioterm.es)
Thickback sole (Microchirus variegatus) was first described in 1808 by the Anglo-Irish writer, natural history illustrator, and amateur zoologist Edward Donovan (1768-1837).
It lives at the depth of 20-400 meters. It prefers to swim near the sandy and muddy bottom. The maximum recorded length is 35 cm; specimens up to 14 cm long are more common. It feeds on small crustaceans, worms, and bivalve mollusks.
(Thickback sole. Photo by © Henk Heessen. marinespecies.org)
It is a permanent and infrequent inhabitant of the Adriatic Sea.
Names of thickback sole (Microchirus variegatus) in other languages are as follows:
Gjuhëza me breza (Albanian), Dikrugtong (Dutch), Ζωνόγλωσσα (Zonogljossa) (Greek), Sogliola variegata, Sogliola fasciata (Italian), Golleta (Spanish), Bastardzunge (German), Pręgatka (Polish), Azevia raïada (Portuguese), Изменчивая короткопёрая солея (Izmenchivaja korotkopjoraja soleja) (Russian), List prugavac (Serbian, Croatian), Progasti list (Slovenian), Sole perdrix panachée (French).