Eyes on the right, upper side, which is brown with prominent red-orange spots. Underside white. Scales are smooth and the lateral line is almost straight. A line of bony knobs runs along the head from lateral line to the eyes.

North Sea populations spawn during late winter - early spring in depths of 20-50 m. The eggs (up to 500,000) are shed and fertilised above the sea bed in areas of sufficient salinity for them to float, and a temperature of around 6 degrees C. The eye moves round during the pelagic larval stage at 35-40 days (11 mm), and the miniature adult becomes bottom living at 45-50 days. Maturity is reached at 5-7 years (North Sea stock) at 33-43 cm.

Bottom-dwelling on sand and muddy substrates. May inhabit depths of over 100 m, but usually found at 10-50 m, with younger fish closer inshore.

Worms and Shellfish.

Throughout UK waters.