New Zealand turbot
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| iNew Zealand turbot | ||||||||||||||
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 Drawing by Dr Tony Ayling
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| Colistium nudipinnis (Waite, 1911) |
The New Zealand turbot, Colistium nudipinnis, is a righteye flounder of the subfamily Rhombosoleinae in the family Pleuronectidae, found around New Zealand in shallow enclosed waters such as estuaries, harbours, mudflats, and sandflats, in waters less than 50 m in depth. Their length is from 25 to 90 cm, and they are the largest of the flounders found around New Zealand.
The New Zealand turbot is a righteye flounder meaning it has both eyes on the right side of the head and lies on its left side. It has the typical flattened oval shape of the flounder with the dorsal and anal fins forming a fringe around most of the body, and a rounded snout with a long rostral hook that completely overlaps the jaws when the fish is viewed from above.
The colouring is brown on the back with a mottled pattern of darker brown, and a white belly tinged with pink. Like most flounder it is a popular foodfish.
[edit] References
- "Colistium nudipinnis". FishBase. Ed. Ranier Froese and Daniel Pauly. March 2006 version. N.p.: FishBase, 2006.
- Tony Ayling & Geoffrey Cox, Collins Guide to the Sea Fishes of New Zealand, (William Collins Publishers Ltd, Auckland, New Zealand 1982) ISBN 0-00-216987-8
