Aesopia cornuta is a species of sole native to the Indian and western Pacific Oceans. Its common names include the unicorn sole, thickray sole, banded sole, and dark thick-rayed sole. This species grows to a standard length of 25 cm (9.8 in), and is the only known member of its genus.

Environment

• Marine; reef-associated; depth range 8 - 100 m, Tropical.

Distribution

• Indo-West Pacific: Red Sea, Mozambique, South Africa, India and Japan.

Size

• Max length : 25.0 cm.

Morphology

• • Dorsal spines: 0

  • Dorsal soft rays: 69-79

  • Anal spines: 0

  • Anal soft rays: 59-66

  • Vertebrae: 46

• The body is greyish or brown with 15-16 dark bars, each edged in black, with the first three bars located on the head.

• The caudal fin is blackish with pale spots.

BIOLOGY

• Found in coastal waters, on sand or mud bottoms to at least 100 m.