Turbot

Turbot
	Psetta maxima
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Pleuronectiformes
Family:	Scophthalmidae
Genera
	Psetta;

Turbot (family Scophthalmidae, order Pleuronectiformes) are flatfish native to marine or brackish waters of the North Atlantic, Black Sea and the Mediterranean Sea.

Origin

The word comes from the Old Swedish törnbut (meaning thorn butt or stump) and was adopted into English and French about the same time, around the 13th century.^[1]

Pronunciation

Turbot is pronounced /ˈtɜrbɨt/ "turb-it". It is occasionally mispronounced /ˈtɜrboʊ/ "tur-bo". This is likely a back-formation based on French words ending in -ot (the French pronunciation of "turbot" is [tyʁbo]).

Varieties of Turbot

The European Turbot (Psetta maxima) is a large left-eyed flatfish found primarily close to shore in sandy shallow waters throughout the Mediterranean, the Baltic Sea, the Black Sea and the North Atlantic. The European turbot has an asymmetrical disk-shaped body, and may attain sizes of 30 to 40 pounds (approx. 15 to 17 kilograms).^{[citation needed]} Greenland Turbot (Reinhardtius hippoglossoides), sometimes known as blue halibut, is usually harvested in the cold waters off Greenland in water depths of up to 1000m. In flavour and texture it is similar to Pacific halibut.^{[citation needed]}

Turbot as food fish

Turbot is highly prized as a food fish for its delicate flavour. It is a valuable commercial species, acquired through aquaculture and trawling. Turbot are farmed in France, Spain, Turkey, Chile, Norway and China. ^{[citation needed]} Turbot has a bright white flesh that retains its appearance when cooked. Like all flatfish, turbot yields four fillets with meatier topside portions that may be baked, poached or pan-fried. ^{[citation needed]}

Turbot vision

A March 13, 2007 entry on gullible.info started spreading the myth that "Turbot has the sharpest vision out of all fish species". It was later posted on Wikipedia and picked up by other websites citing it.

References

^ Concise Oxford Dictionary, OUP, London, 1964

External links

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[1] Concise Oxford Dictionary, OUP, London, 1964

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