Turbot
ExploreFish
Turbot
Scophthalmus maximus
Turbot is a flat fish that has a thick body and is known for its delicious taste. They live on the seabed and love to hide!
Habitat: Ocean floor
Appearance
The Turbot has a unique, almost circular or diamond-shaped, very flat body. Its skin is mottled brown, grey, or greenish, often covered in bony, wart-like tubercles. Both eyes are on its left, upper side, allowing it to rest camouflaged on the seafloor.
KingdomAnimaliaPhylumChordataClassActinopterygiiOrderPleuronectiformesFamilyScophthalmidaeGenusScophthalmus
Category
FishRarity
Common
Danger
2/5 · Low
Snaps
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Interesting facts
As they grow, one eye actually travels over their head to the other side! Wow!
Did you know Turbot start life swimming upright, just like regular fish?
These fish can grow super big, sometimes weighing more than a large dog!
Turbot are a type of 'flatfish,' perfectly designed to live on the ocean floor.
Special abilities
Ability
Master of Disguise
Turbot can quickly change its skin color to perfectly match the sandy or gravelly seabed, helping it hide from predators and ambush prey.
Ability
Flat-body Burrower
Turbot has a super flat body that lets it bury itself partly or completely into the sand, becoming invisible to others.
Ability
Topside Vision
Turbot has both eyes on one side of its head, allowing it to scan for food and danger while lying flat on the ocean floor.
Measurements & details
- Length
- 50-100 cm
- Weight
- 5-25 kg
- Lifespan
- 15-25 years
- Swim Speed
- 8 km/h
- Maximum Depth
- 100 m
- Water Type
- Saltwater
Diet & Feeding
A sneaky bottom-dweller that ambushes small fish and crustaceans from its sandy hideout.
Age differences: Young turbot primarily eat small invertebrates; as they grow, their diet shifts mainly to small fish.
Primary Foods
- sandeels
- gobies
- shrimp
- crabs
- small mollusks
Foraging Method
- Ambush
Ecological connections
eaten by
Grey Seal
Halichoerus grypus
Seals hunt Turbot as a common part of their varied marine diet.
eaten by
Spiny Dogfish
Squalus acanthias
These small sharks prey on Turbot and other bottom-dwelling fish.
hunts
Sandeel
Ammodytes marinus
Turbot ambush sandeels hiding in the sand for a quick meal.
hunts
Common Shrimp
Crangon crangon
Turbot also feasts on shrimp, snapping them up from the seafloor.
Traits
Wildlife
Wildlife encompasses all undomesticated animal and plant life existing in their natural habitats.
Solitary
Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care.
Camouflaged
Camouflaged describes organisms that possess coloring or patterns that allow them to blend into their environment.
Piscivorous
Piscivorous organisms are animals that primarily subsist on a diet of fish.
Aquatic
Aquatic habitats encompass environments where organisms live predominantly in water, including oceans, rivers, lakes, and wetlands.
Giant
Giant describes organisms or objects of significantly larger size than average for their species or type.
Marine
Marine habitats encompass all saltwater environments of the Earth's oceans, supporting an immense diversity of aquatic life.
Also known as
Scophthalmus maximusTurbot Flounder
Collections
Safety
Danger
2/5 · Low
Watch quietly from a distance and never try to feed or chase wild animals.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long is Turbot?
50-100 cm
How much does Turbot weigh?
5-25 kg
How long does Turbot live?
15-25 years
What does Turbot eat?
A sneaky bottom-dweller that ambushes small fish and crustaceans from its sandy hideout.
How fast can Turbot swim?
8 km/h
Where is Turbot usually found?
Ocean floor
How does Turbot hunt?
Ambush
How deep can Turbot go?
100 m
Snap Map
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