Family: SCOPHTHALMIDAE, Turbot, Turbots

FAMILY SCOPHTHALMIDAE

TURBOTS

Turbots are small to medium sized flounders (to ~ 100 cm); they have highly flattened, disc-like bodies; eyes on left side of the body; body deep; edge of preopercle exposed and easily visible; mouth large, asymmetrical, lower jaw prominent; dorsal fin originates ahead of eye; dorsal and anal fins contain numerous segmented rays; dorsal and anal fins separated from tail fin; most fin rays branched; both pectorals and both pelvics present; both pelvic fins with long bases, base of eye side fin on body midline, origin well forward under eye, 1-2 rays before blind side fin origin; lateral line equally developed on both sides of body, strongly arched above the pectoral fin; urinary papilla on eye side.

A temperate family with 8 species in 4 genera. One temperate species in the northern fringe of the Greater Caribbean.