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Spotted turbot (Pleuronichthys ritteri) — Pleuronectidae

Spotted turbot

Pleuronichthys ritteri
LC · Least Concern

The Spotted turbot (Pleuronichthys ritteri) is a saltwater fish of the family Pleuronectidae that grows up to 30 cm.

Length
30 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
1.0–50.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Solitary
Body shape
Flat / disc-shaped
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Rarely eaten

Description

The spotted turbot is a flatfish of the righteye flounder family (Pleuronectidae) from the eastern Pacific. The species grows to about 30 cm and has a deep, oval, flattened body with both eyes on the right side and a brownish, mottled eyed side with a few conspicuous dark spots. It is common in bays and shallow coastal waters over soft bottoms, where it stays half-buried. As a bottom hunter it feeds on small crustaceans, worms and molluscs. Owing to its camouflage it is little noticed. The species is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Spotted turbot?

The Spotted turbot has a flattened, disc-shaped body, is mainly brown and shows a spots pattern.

Where does the Spotted turbot live?

The Spotted turbot lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around sand or mud bottom.

How big does the Spotted turbot get?

The Spotted turbot grows to a maximum of about 30 cm.

Is the Spotted turbot dangerous to humans?

No, the Spotted turbot is harmless to humans.

Is the Spotted turbot edible?

The Spotted turbot is rarely eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Gevlekte tarbot (Pacific) sourced
English name
Spotted turbot verified
Scientific name
Pleuronichthys ritteri
Family
Pleuronectidae
Other names
Spotted turbot verified

Appearance

Size class
Medium verified
Max length (cm)
30.0 verified
Body shape
Flat / disc-shaped sourced
Dominant colour
Brown inferred
Pattern
Spots inferred
Tail shape
Rounded inferred
Mouth position
Terminal inferred
Lips
Thin inferred
Barbels
No sourced
Dorsal fins
One continuous inferred
Dorsal spines
No sourced

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom sourced
Min depth (m)
1.0 verified
Max depth (m)
50.0 verified
Origin
Native sourced

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore sourced
Social behaviour
Solitary inferred
Territorial
No inferred
Reproduction
Separate sexes sourced
Sexual dimorphism
No inferred

For anglers

Edibility
Rarely eaten sourced
Fishing method
Bodemvissen met natuurlijk aas (worm, garnaal of vis) op of vlak boven de bodem. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless sourced

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

Same genus Pleuronichthys

More from the family Pleuronectidae

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