Fish
Brill
Scophthalmus rhombus
(IIIa) Skagerrak and Kattegat, (IV) North Sea, (VIId) Eastern English Channel, (VIIe) Western English Channel
Zones de pêche
Wild
Origine
41 cm
Taille minimale
Description
The brill is a flatfish with an oval body. It is a left-sided flatfish, meaning it rests on its right side and presents its left side. The brill is often confused with the turbot. However, it is clearly distinguishable from the turbot because, unlike the latter, it has smooth skin without bony tubercles. Furthermore, the brill’s body is more oval in shape, whereas the turbot’s is closer to a diamond shape. The brill hunts by sight, primarily targeting small fish such as herring, cod, and occasionally other flatfish.
Habitat
The flounder lives on sandy bottoms, and sometimes on muddy or gravelly bottoms, at depths of up to 200 meters. Juveniles are more coastal and live at depths of less than 10 m, while adults are rarely found at depths of less than 15 m. It does not burrow into the sand, but possesses a remarkable ability to camouflage itself, allowing it to blend in with the background color and thus go unnoticed.
Distribution
The brill is found in the northeastern Atlantic, between Norway and Morocco, as well as in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea.