If you’re only interested in British waters, feel free to skip down to the next section. Now that you know the basics, it’s time to tackle the specific species you can find in North America. It only refers to the wide family of fish with two eyes on one side of their face. The group doesn’t include Rays, Skates, Monkfish, or other squashed-looking species. This brings us on to a very important point: Just because a fish is flat, that doesn’t automatically make it a Flatfish. If you hold one up and it faces right when its eyes are above its mouth, it’s right-eyed. The group is divided into “right-eye” or “left-eye” fish depending on which eye moves. One eye “migrates” across their head and their mouth twists to the side. Flatfish start out round, but as they grow, their body starts to flatten out.
To top it all off, their whole head is twisted sideways. Their dabbled skin changes color to match their surroundings and their white underside makes them invisible from below if they ever leave their muddy home. Because of this, they’re perfectly designed for a life on the bottom. Pretty much all our favorite Flatfish are technically Flounder, but most of them go by another name.įlatfish spend their lives lying on the seafloor waiting for a meal to swim their way.
It’s important to note that half the time these names don’t follow any kind of scientific classification. The group includes Flounder, Halibut, Sole, Plaice, Dab, Turbot, and more. “Flatfish” is a catch-all name for more than 700 different species of fish.
You can also learn a little about how the family fits together – what makes a “flat fish” a Flatfish, so to speak. This article will give you a basic rundown of the most popular Flatfish in North America and in Britain. Some are the same in both countries, but many of them aren’t. With that in mind, we’re diving into the muddy waters of these piscine pancakes to cut through the jargon and explain what’s what.įlatfish are a common catch in both the US and the UK. What’s more, one man’s Sole is another man’s Flounder, and the names of Flatfish are often different in the ocean and on your plate. It’s easy to get confused by the different types of Flatfish.
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