Fun Megrim Facts For Kids

The megrim, or the Cornish sole, is a left-eyed flatfish from the Scophthalmidaw family. The word megrim in a noun in the dictionary means depression, low spirits, whim, or fancy, and the plural of megrim is megrims. There is not a lot known about the origin of this word.

The megrim fish is commonly found in the northeast Atlantic in the range of 330-2,300 ft (101-701 m) below sea level. Many countries catch this fish for commercial purposes. They have their eyes on the left side of their bodies and their head is slightly bigger than other flatfish species.

This deepsea flatfish is not often found in water that is shallower than 164 ft (50 m). Megrim sole species are mostly found in water at 656-984 ft (200-300 m), but they live all the way down to 3281 ft (1000 m).

This is also the reason why they are rarely caught by shore anglers. One can find them over muddy seabeds.

They avoid broken or heavy ground or areas that have a lot of weed. They often feed on small fish living near or on the seabed, but they will also take dislodged shellfish and crustaceans.

Megrim sole fish can be found in the deepwater of the British Isles with the range extending from Icelandic and Scandinavian waters to northern Africa’s coastline. For spawning, they often migrate to the west of the British Isles.

You may also check out Nile tilapia facts and pigfish facts!

Megrim Interesting Facts

What type of animal is a megrim?

Also known as the megrim sole, megrim is a flatfish that tastes incredible. Megrim is a noun in the dictionary that means depression, low spirits, whim, or fancy, and the plural of megrim is megrims.

Megrim fish is like a flat bass as it has a big mouth through which the fish sucks its prey, which is mainly smaller fish. Cornish trawlers use modern and selective fishing gear for catching the megrims. They have delicious, tender meat and are pale in color.

There is not a lot known about the origin of this fish species. Megrim and migraine are related in meaning, signaling a headache.

What class of animal does a megrim belong to?

The megrim, a deepwater flatfish, belongs to the Actinopterygii class. It is usually caught off the Cornish coast. Over the past few years, it has gained a lot of popularity because of its sustainability.

However, there are more reasons for choosing megrim sole other than it being environment friendly. When cooked properly, this flatfish can be made into a tasty dish, despite its reputation of being a second-rate fish in comparison to other flatfish. Megrim and migraine are related in meaning, signaling a headache.

How many megrims are there in the world?

Not enough information regarding the number of megrims is available at the moment.

Where does a megrim live?

The megrim fish, or the Lepidorhombus whiffiagonis, can be found over a muddy seafloor site. This is a predatory species that consume smaller fish, crustaceans, and squid.

In turn, they are prey for larger species like large cod, seals, and sharks. There is a spawning population in the deep waters off the west of Ireland and Iceland. There is not a lot known about the origin of this fish species.

What is a megrim's habitat?

The habitat of megrim is sandy or muddy seafloor. Megrim species are found in the Northeast Atlantic and throughout European waters including the Sea of the Hebrides. Megrim fish can also be found in parts of the Mediterranean and off the north coast of Africa.

Who do megrims live with?

There is not much information available regarding who lives among megrims.

How long does a megrim live?

Information regarding its lifespan is unavailable at the moment.

How do they reproduce?

Megrim, or Lepidorhombus whiffiagonis, is a dioic species which means that there are males and females that use external fertilization for reproduction. The female lays eggs usually in spring at a shallow depth near the coast.

The juveniles of this species live near the surface and are asymmetrical. However, during the pelagic stage, they change and become asymmetric. After this, there comes a time, when megrim species submerge themselves to the bottom of the ocean where they stay until they reach the age of two years.

After this, when the spring arrives, they travel to the coast. During the winter season, megrim species return to the bottom of their habitat.

In the Mediterranean sea, the winter season is when the reproduction occurs which ends in April. In the Atlantic, the reproduction process is extended until June. The larvae and the eggs are pelagic.

When the megrim species reach 0.4 in (10 mm) in length, their eyes migrate to the left side of the body. At birth, their eyes are normally arranged.

What is their conservation status?

The conservation status of megrim fish is of Least Concern according to the IUCN.

Megrim Fun Facts

What do megrims look like?

*Please note that this is an image of a flounder, not a megrim. If you have an image of a megrim, please let us know at hello@kidadl.com.

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Megrims, which are mainly found in the Northeast Atlantic ocean, can grow up to the length of 24 in (60 cm).

Megrim is a noun in the dictionary that means depression, low spirits, whim, or fancy, and the plural of megrim is megrims. Megrims are left-eyed (meaning that they have their eyes on the left side of their body) and have a narrower body and a slightly bigger head than other flatfish species like lemon sole or plaice.

The dorsal and anal fins start far back on their body and are relatively short.

The coloration is light brown and they have dark spots all across their body along with dark gray fins. Megrims prefer the muddy and sandy seafloor and mainly feed on small fish, crustaceans, and squid.

These are a highly-prized species in Spain and France and can be cooked in several different ways like poaching, frying, baking, and grilling.

How cute are they?

Megrim fish are not considered to have a pleasing appearance.

How do they communicate?

Not enough information is available regarding their means of communication.

How big is a megrim?

The average size of the megrim, or Lepidorhombus whiffiagonis, is between 14-16 in (36-41 cm), but they can grow up to 24 in (60 cm). In Irish waters, depending on the waters they are caught in, the minimum size is 8 in (20 cm).

How fast can a megrim swim?

Not enough information is available regarding its speed.

How much does a megrim weigh?

The megrim has a flat, long, and thin body that weighs between 11-13 lbs (5-6 kg).

What are the male and female names of the species?

The male and female names of the megrim are the same.

What would you call a baby megrim?

There is no specific term for a baby megrim.

What do they eat?

Megrim fish are predators that mostly feed on squid and small fish, but can also consume crustaceans with their heads. However, they are prey to larger species like seals, cod, and sharks.

Are they dangerous?

We cannot tell for sure if they are dangerous or not as there is no information available.

Would they make a good pet?

No, they won't make a good pet.

Did you know...

That megrim fish's heads are commercially valuable and a number of nations in Europe catch them. Caught by bottom trawling, this fish is targeted directly in some fisheries and retained as a valuable bycatch by others.

Spain and France are the biggest consumers of the megrim species.

In fact, most of the megrim fish that are caught in the British water are later exported to these two nations to be eaten as food. However, there have been some drives in Britain to encourage people to eat megrim so that some pressure can be taken off of overexploited fish like haddock and cod.

There are several different ways of cooking megrim including baking, grilling, poaching, and frying. In terms of preparation, this species is described as similar to plaice or sole, but not comparable to these fish in terms of the texture or flavor of the food.

In the UK, the megrim species is also known by the name of Cornish sole.

This name was given to make this species more appealing to the British people after Brexit as most of the catch from the country was previously exported to the European Union. There is not a lot known about the origin of this fish species.

What is the close relative of fish to megrim?

A close relative fish to the megrim fish is the four-spot megrim. Also known as the Lepidorhombus boscii, it is a flatfish species from the Scophthalmidae family.

It is commonly found in the northeast Atlantic between the depths of 23-2,625 ft (7-800 m). The main way to differentiate between the megrim fish and the four-spot megrim fish is through the dark spot towards the fins’ rear end in the latter species. It can reach a length of about 16 in (41 cm).

In Spanish, the four-spot megrim is called gallo de cuatro manchas, or just gallo. Depending on the city or the region, it might also be called rapante or ojito. In Catalan, it is called palaia bruixa de quatre taques, llisèria, or serrandell.

In France, this fish is known as the cardine à quatre taches. There is not a lot known about the origin of this fish species.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other fish from our chub mackerel facts and green swordtail facts pages.

You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our Megrim  coloring pages.