Alan Davidson

Flounder (but see pages 150 and 151 for American flounders)

Platichthys flesus (Linnaeus)

Appears in
top 1000North Atlantic Seafood
North Atlantic Seafood

By Alan Davidson

Published 1980

  • About

Family Pleuronectidae

  • Portuguese: Patruça, Solha da pedras
  • Spanish: Platija
  • French: Flet
  • Dutch: Bot
  • German: Flunder
  • Polish: Stornia
  • Russian: Rechnaya kambala
  • Finnish: Kampela
  • Swedish: Skrubba
  • Norwegian: Skrubbe
  • Danish: Skrubbe
  • Other: Fluke (e.g. in Ireland); Lleden fach (Welsh)

REMARKS Maximum length about 50 cm. This is a dextral fish, but reversed examples are common. The eyed side is dull brown, greyish or dull green. It may bear orange speckles (not as bright as the orange spots of the plaice). The blind side is dead white. Freak specimens which have been recorded include an albino taken in Norfolk which must have been a pretty sight – white on both sides, with pink eyes and fins.