The New Zealand brill, ''Colistium guntheri'', is an edible

flatfish A flatfish is a member of the Ray-finned fish, ray-finned demersal fish order (biology), order Pleuronectiformes, also called the Heterosomata, sometimes classified as a suborder of Perciformes. In many species, both eyes lie on one side of the ...

of the family

Pleuronectidae Pleuronectidae, also known as righteye flounders, are a family of flounders. They are called "righteye flounders" because most species lie on the sea bottom on their left sides, with both eyes on their right sides. The Paralichthyidae are the op ...

. It is a

demersal The demersal zone is the part of the sea or ocean (or deep lake) consisting of the part of the water column near to (and significantly affected by) the seabed and the benthos. The demersal zone is just above the benthic zone and forms a layer of ...

fish native to shallow seas around New Zealand, at depths of between and . It can grow to in length and can weigh up to .

Identification

The New Zealand brill is a righteyed flounder and so has both its eyes on the right-hand side of its body. Its upper surface is dark grey in colour, with its edges and fins almost black; the outer edge of each scale is black, which explains the longitudinal black lines that occur along the length of the body.

References

Pleuronectidae Endemic marine fish of New Zealand Taxa named by Frederick Hutton (scientist) Fish described in 1873 {{Pleuronectiformes-stub