Head to head
European Plaice vs Common Sole
European Plaice
VS Common Sole
The European plaice and the common sole are two of the best-known flatfish of north-eastern Atlantic seas, and both are familiar from fishmongers and restaurant menus.
| European Plaice | Common Sole | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Pleuronectes platessa | Solea solea |
| Relationship | A right-eyed flatfish in the plaice family | A right-eyed flatfish in the sole family |
| Body | A smooth, oval, brown body marked with bright orange to red spots, and a row of small bony knobs behind the eyes | An oval to tongue-shaped body, brown with dark blotches, and a rounded snout that hooks over its mouth |
| Diet | Cockles, razor clams, other bivalves, and worms, crushed with plate-like teeth in its throat | Worms, small crustaceans, and molluscs, found mostly at night |
| Finding food | Hunts on the sandy and muddy sea bed | Finds food by smell and touch, using sensitive papillae on the underside of its twisted head |
| Daytime | Lies flat on the sea bed, matching the colour of the sand | Spends the day buried in sand or mud, with only its eyes showing |
| Nursery | Spawns in winter, and the young grow up in shallow nursery areas on sandy beaches | Spawns in coastal waters in spring, and the young grow up in sheltered estuaries and shallow bays |
| Conservation status | Least Concern, one of the most important commercial flatfish in northern Europe | Least Concern, famous as Dover sole, with some stocks under pressure and managed with quotas |
European Plaice vs Common Sole: common questions
Which one has orange spots?
The plaice, which has a smooth brown upper side marked with bright orange to red spots.
Which one hunts at night?
The common sole, which finds food at night by smell and touch, using sensitive papillae on the underside of its head.
Which one is Dover sole?
The common sole, which is known as Dover sole and is one of the most valuable flatfish in Europe.