Microchirus azevia, commonly known as the bastard sole, is a species of flatfish in the family Soleidae. It is found on the continental slope of the eastern Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea at depths down to about 250 m (800 ft).

Description The bastard sole grows to a standard length of about 40 cm (16 in). It is oval in outline, with a long ribbon-like dorsal fin with 71 to 86 soft rays, and a similar-shaped anal fin with 57 to 68 soft rays. The rounded caudal fin is separate from the dorsal and anal fins. In adults, the side of the fish with both eyes is sand-coloured or grey, but in juveniles there are additionally five or six eyespots; the other side of the fish is whitish.

Distribution and habitat The bastard sole is native to the eastern Atlantic Ocean and the western part of the Mediterranean Sea. In the Atlantic its range extends from Portugal to Senegal, with a single record from the south west of England, while in the Mediterranean it is restricted to the coasts of Spain. Morocco and Algeria. Its depth range is from just below the littoral zone down to about 250 m (800 ft).