English
Scientific name: Platichthys flesus
Flat fish similar to the rhombus but with a more oval and scaleless body.
Characteristics
Like other flat fish, both eyes are on the right side of the body, dark in colour, marbled or sprinkled with small yellow spots, the left side is completely white. The body is oval in shape and is smooth because it lacks scales. It can reach a maximum of 40 cm. Similarly to the rhombuses, it moves on the bottom where it is camouflaged and hunts invertebrates and small fishes, especially gobies.
Habitat
In the Mediterranean Sea it is along all the north-western and north-eastern coasts. It tends to be a nocturnal species, which lives on sandy and muddy bottoms up to 55 metres deep but thanks to its ability to withstand different degrees of salinity it is also found in the lagoons and can swim up rivers for several kilometres, especially in summer. Generally it is fished with a trawl net. The minimum size for fishing and marketing according to Reg. EC 1967/2006 is 15 cm.
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