Diagnostic Description
provided by FAO species catalogs
Body rather deep, about twice in standard length. Some scales much modified; normal scales cycloid in both sexes; lateral line almost straight. Often with the eyes on the left side (in certain areas one-third of population is reversed). Dorsal finrays 52 to 67. Anal finrays 36 to 46. Lateral line scales about 80. Colour brownish, greyish or olivaceus, uniform or variously blotched and mottled with darker marks; fain red spots on the eyed side.
- Alegre, M., J. Lleonart & J. Veny - 1992Espècies Pesqueres d'interès comercial. Nomenclatura oficial catalana. Generalitat de Catalunya. Departament de Cultura, DARP, TERMCAT. 64 pp.
- Nielsen, J. - 1986 Pleuronectidae. In: P.J.P. Whitehead et al., (eds.). Fishes of the North-eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean (FNAM). Unesco, Paris, vol. III: 1299-1307. Wheeler, A.- 1978. Key to the Fishes of Northern Europe. A guide to the identification of more than 350 species. Frederick Warne (Publishers) Ltd., London. 380 pp.
Distribution
provided by FAO species catalogs
Eastern Atlantic, from the White Sea to Mediterranean and Black Sea. (See Remarks).
Size
provided by FAO species catalogs
To about 52 cm, seldom more than 30 cm.
Brief Summary
provided by FAO species catalogs
Benthic,at shallow depths with soft bottoms (to 55 m);often found in brackish water and in rivers and lakes.Feeds on a small fishes and invertebrates.The species is mainly nocturnal and burrowing. Spawns in February-June. In some areas, e. g. western Baltic, it hybridizes with the plaice (Pleuronectes platessa ) and the hybrids are very common.
Benefits
provided by FAO species catalogs
Mainly important to fisheries in Baltic and Danish waters. The total catch reported for this species to FAO for 1999 was 11 879 t. The countries with the largest catches were Denmark (3 528 t) and Netherland (3 159 t). The most common fishing techniques are "demersal bottom trawling" and "small flatfish (flounders, soles) bottom trawling". Marketed fresh and frozen; can be steamed, fried, boiled, microwaved and baked.
