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Species: Scophthalmus aquosus, Windowpane, Windowpane Turbot

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D front rays free, branched
numerous white & dark spots
mouth large, asymmetrical lower jaw prominent
pelvics - long bases, origin under eye, eye side fin origin 1st, not connected to A
LL - both sides, arched over pectoral

Scophthalmus aquosus (Mitchill, 1815)

Windowpane, Windowpane Turbot

Body a deep rhomboid (depth 60-70% of SL); eyes on left side of the body, large and prominent, separated by a flat space of moderate width (<eye), that space not different in the sexes; a slight notch on upper profile before eye; edge of preopercle exposed and easily visible; mouth large, top jaw 45% of head length, reaches to at least center of eye , asymmetrical, lower jaw prominent, top jaw with a bony tubercle at front; teeth equally developed on both sides, small, curved, in bands; dorsal fin originates well ahead of eye, front rays long and branched, free from membrane for much of their length, forming a fringed crest, a little longer than rear rays; front rays of anal fin also with tips extending well beyond fin membrane; 64-71 dorsal fin rays, 48-55 anal fin rays; most fin rays branched; dorsal and anal fins separated from tail fin; eye side pectoral triangular, slightly larger than blind side fin and with branched rays; pelvic fins both with long bases, eye-side fin base close to body midline, origin well forward under eye, eye side fin origin 1-2 rays before blind side fin origin, not connected to anal fin; lateral line equally developed on both sides of body, strongly arched above the pectoral; urinary papilla on eye side; scales small, smooth, 85-95 on lateral line.

Translucent brown with many small dark spots, larger spots on dorsal, tail and anal fins; eye side pectoral spotted; blind side whitish.

Reaches 46 cm.

On sand and silt bottoms, marine to slightly brackish water, northern fish migrate to deeper water in winter.

Depth range 1-110 m, but typically 1-2 m.

Gulf of St Lawrence to central Florida, strays to the Bahamas.


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Salinity
  • Brackish
  • Marine
Inshore/Offshore
  • Inshore
  • Inshore Only
Water Column Position
  • Bottom
Habitat
  • Sand & gravel
  • Soft bottom (mud/sand/gravel/beach/estuary/mangrove/seagrass)
  • Soft bottom only
  • Beach
  • Estuary
  • Mud
FishBase Habitat
  • Demersal
Feeding Group
  • Carnivore
  • Data
  • Planktivore
Diet
  • Data
  • Zooplankton
  • Bony fishes
  • Mobile benthic crustacea (shrimps/crabs)
  • Mobile benthic worms
Egg Type
  • Data
  • Pelagic
  • Pelagic larva
Global Endemism
  • All species
  • Greater Caribbean non-endemic
  • West Atlantic Endemic
Regional Endemism
  • Continent
  • Continent + Island (s)
  • Continental primarily
  • Extends North of GC
  • GC non-endemic
  • Island (s)
  • All species
Residency
  • Vagrant
Climate Zone
  • Subtropical (23-35N, Florida / Carolinas / Bermuda)
  • Temperate (>35N)
  • Tropical (10-23N, Nicaragua / Cuba)
IUCN Red List
  • Not evaluated / Listed
CITES
  • Not listed
Length Max
  • 46
Depth Range Min
  • 1
Depth Range Max
  • 110