Name: Turbot
Scientific Name: Scophthalmus maximus (Linnaeus, 1758)
Family: Scophthalmidae
Group: Bony fish
Class: Fish
Size: 51-100 cm.
Like other flatfish, the turbot's larvae are similar to that of other fishes and live for six months in the water column, before undergoing a metamorphosis. This adaptation to life on the bottom involves the migration of the right eye and turning of the mouth towards the left side, together with compression of the body. The changing pattern of the skin gives it the camouflage it requires to stay out of sight of predators. The turbot lives in coastal waters up to depths of about 80 m on sandy or rocky bottoms.
Photo by:
Maasha (www.flickr.com)
Oceanário Location
Flat-fish
