Diagnostic Description
provided by FAO species catalogs
Body rather deep, its depth 2 to 2.5 times in standard length. Mout rather small, reaching only to just in front of lower eye. Ctenoid scales on eyed side, cycloid scales on blind side. Dorsal finrays 65 to 81. Anal finrays 50 to 64. Lateral line scales 73 to 90. Coloration usually warm sandy-brown, varying from light brown to grey-brown with small darker freckles on the eyed side; on the blind side white.
- Alegre, M., J. Lleonart & J. Veny. - 1992 Espècies Pesqueres d'interès comercial. Nomenclatura oficial catalana. Generalitat de Catalunya. Departament de Cultura, DARP, TERMCAT. 64 pp.
- Nielsen, J. G. - 1986 Scophthalmidae. In: P.J.P. Whitehead et al., (eds.). Fishes of the North-eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean (FNAM). Unesco, Paris, vol. III: 1299-1307.
Distribution
provided by FAO species catalogs
Eastern Atlantic, from Bay of Biscay to White Sea, also Iceland.
Size
provided by FAO species catalogs
To 42 cm, seldom more than 30 cm.
Brief Summary
provided by FAO species catalogs
Benthic, lives mainly on sandy bottoms,from a few meters to about 150 m.Feeds mainly on crustaceans, molluscs, worms and small fishes. Spawns from January to August; larvae settle at depths of 10-20 m.
Benefits
provided by FAO species catalogs
Moderately important to the fishing industry and is caught mainly in trawls and Danish seines It is also popular with anglers, despite its small size, for it is common in inshore waters and takes a bait eagerly. The total catch reported for this species to FAO for 1999 was 20 943 t. The countries with the largest catches were Netherlands (8 656 t) and Iceland (3 981 t). Marketed fresh, dried/salted, smoked and frozen; eaten steamed, fried, broiled, boiled, microwaved and baked.
