The flat body of the turbot is almost round and plate-like. The other flatfish encountered in Finnish waters are oval. In contrast to other flatfish, the turbot also has spiny lumps on the skin of its upper side, from which it gets its Finnish name (spiny flatfish). The pale side, which faces downwards, is almost smooth. The eyes are situated almost always on the left side. The turbot is a sea fish, and in Finland it is clearly less common than the flounder. The low salinity of the water creates difficulties for it on the Finnish coast. Often, the turbot burrows into the sand where it stays – only its eyes are visible. The turbot is a predatory fish: its mouth is large and toothed. Besides fish, it feeds on molluscs, crustaceans and various worms.
