Description
Marine flatfish that often enters brackish waters and ascends rivers, unlike other pleuronectids.
How to identify it
Oval, asymmetrical and strongly compressed body, with a width of less than half its length. In most individuals the eyes are on the right side (about a third have the eyes on the left). Small mouth that does not reach below the eye, bony nodules along the lateral line and rough scales at the base of the dorsal and anal fins.
Appearance
Upper side with pale reddish spots.
Habitat and habits
Coastal bottoms and estuaries; it regularly enters rivers and spends part of its life cycle there, but returns to the sea in autumn before spawning.
Where it lives
North-eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean, from the Barents Sea, White Sea and Baltic to Greece, Turkey, the Black Sea and the North African coast.
Conservation status
IUCN: Least Concern (LC).
Can be confused with
European plaice (Pleuronectes platessa), which also has pale reddish spots on the upper side.
There's more in the app
This species' bite index, recommended baits and methods, and the rules of the day for every water. Offline too.
Soon on Android and iPhone
