Brill

Overview

The brill (Scophthalmus rhombus) is a left-eyed flatfish widely distributed throughout the Northeast Atlantic, Mediterranean, and Black Sea. It is a demersal species that typically inhabits soft, sandy, or muddy seabeds, where it relies on its ability to camouflage against the substrate to remain hidden.

Appearance

This species has an oval, relatively slender body compared to its close relative, the turbot. It is easily distinguished by its smooth skin, which lacks the bony tubercles found on turbots, and the front portion of its dorsal fin, which features free, branched rays that give it a characteristic "frilly" appearance. The eyed side is typically a mottled greyish-brown, allowing the fish to blend into its environment, while the underside is generally a pale, whitish color.

Distribution & habitat

Brill are found from the coastal waters of Norway and Iceland south to Morocco, as well as throughout the Mediterranean and Black Sea. While juveniles often frequent shallow coastal areas, rockpools, and sandy beaches, mature adults are typically found in deeper offshore waters on the continental shelf.

Feeding

As visual hunters, brill actively track their prey rather than scavenging. Their diet shifts as they grow: juveniles consume a variety of small invertebrates, including crustaceans and mollusks, while adults transition to a diet consisting almost exclusively of fish, such as sand eels, gobies, herring, and sardines.

Reproduction

Brill are batch spawners, with females releasing multiple consecutive clutches of pelagic eggs over a period of several months, typically between February and August. During the spawning season, mature adults often migrate to shallower inshore waters to release their eggs into the water column.