European plaice  (Pleuronectes platessa)

Learn about the scientific name of this species and how it fits into the tree of life at Nature Navigator.

Description

The plaice is Europe's most important commercial flatfish (4). Adults have a roughly diamond-shaped outline (5), and are readily identified by their bright orange or red spots. The upperparts are greenish-brown, the underside is white (2), and they are able to change their colour to match that of their surroundings (5). In all flatfish, the larval stage undergoes a remarkable change in which the left eye moves around the head to the right side; this strange adaptation enables the fish to lie flat on the seabed (4).

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