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Sole Varieties & Species

Is this fish a flounder or a sole? Is there a difference? Is it a true sole or a Pacific sole? What is Plaice and what is the difference between Turbot and Greenland Turbot? When it comes to flatfish confusion abounds. There are many varieties of fish which are called "Sole" but are actually Flounder. The choice of the word "Sole" is a marketing ploy probably originally aimed at aligning these fish with the True Dover Sole which was so popular in Europe and continental cuisine. In the US, all commercially fished species of flatfish are Flounders...Soles are caught in European waters.

Common flatfish sold in the US and Canada include:

  • Alaskan Plaice - is a Flounder
  • American Plaice - is a Flounder
  • Arrowtooth Flounder - also called Turbot (but it isn't)
  • California Halibut - is actually a Flounder
  • Dover - Pacific Dover Sole - is a Flounder, not a Sole
  • Dover - True Dover Sole - imported from Europe, this is the only true Sole on this list
  • English Sole - is a Flounder
  • Fluke - another name for Summer Flounder
  • Greenland Turbot - is actually a Halibut, not Turbot
  • Halibut - is a popular Flounder species
  • Lemon Sole - is a Flounder
  • Petrale Sole - is a Flounder
  • Rex Sole - is a Flounder
  • Rock Sole - is a Flounder
  • Sanddab - a Flounder
  • Starry Flounder
  • Summer Flounder
  • Turbot
  • Yellowfin Sole - is a Flounder

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