flatfish
Introduction
migratesto the other side of the head—either the left or the right, depending on the species. Changes occur also in the skeletal and digestive systems; adults have only one dorsal and one anal fin, both without spines. The underside of the flatfish is pale and the top is colored to match the environment; some species, especially the flounders, are able to change their pigmentation. Flatfishes are divided into three groups: the soles, families Soleidae, Cynoglossidae, and Achiridae; and the flounders (including the halibuts and others), families Achiropsettidate, Bothidae, Citharidae, Paralichthyidae, Pleuronectidae, Samaridae, and Scophthalmidae, and the spiny turbots, family Psettodidae.
Sections in this article:
- Introduction
- The Soles
- The Flounders
- Classification
The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2023, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.
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