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Black plaice (Pseudopleuronectes obscurus) — Pleuronectidae

Black plaice

Pseudopleuronectes obscurus

The Black plaice (Pseudopleuronectes obscurus) is a saltwater fish of the family Pleuronectidae that grows up to 56 cm.

Length
56 cm
Water
Saltwater
Behaviour
Solitary
Body shape
Flat / disc-shaped
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom
Danger
Harmless

Description

The black plaice is a flatfish (Pleuronectidae) from cold coastal waters of the northwest Pacific, off East Asia. The species grows to about 56 cm and has an oval, strongly flattened, dark-brown body with both eyes on the right side and a rough skin on the eyed side. As a bottom-dweller it lies half-buried on sand and mud bottoms of the continental shelf and searches for small worms, crustaceans and molluscs. It is a food fish. The fish is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Black plaice?

The Black plaice has a flattened, disc-shaped body and is mainly brown.

Where does the Black plaice live?

The Black plaice lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around sand or mud bottom.

How big does the Black plaice get?

The Black plaice grows to a maximum of about 56 cm. On average the species is around 35 cm.

Is the Black plaice dangerous to humans?

No, the Black plaice is harmless to humans.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Donkere schar sourced
English name
Black plaice sourced
Scientific name
Pseudopleuronectes obscurus
Family
Pleuronectidae

Appearance

Size class
Large verified
Max length (cm)
56.0 verified
Average length (cm)
35.0 verified
Body shape
Flat / disc-shaped sourced
Dominant colour
Brown sourced
Tail shape
Rounded inferred

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom sourced
Origin
Native inferred

Behaviour & biology

Social behaviour
Solitary inferred
Territorial
No inferred
Reproduction
Separate sexes inferred
Sexual dimorphism
No inferred

For anglers

Fishing method
Bodemvissen met natuurlijk aas (worm, garnaal of vis) op of vlak boven de bodem. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless verified

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

Same genus Pseudopleuronectes

More from the family Pleuronectidae

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