Plaice Plaice Plaice is a common name for a group of flatfish that comprises four species: the European, American, Alaskan and scale-eye plaice. Commercially, the most important plaice is the European. The principal commercial flatfish in Europe, it is also widely fished recreationally, has potential as an aquaculture species, and is kept as an aquarium fish. Also commercially important is the American plaice. The term "plaice" (plural "plaice") comes from the 14th-century Anglo-French "plais". This in turn comes from the late Latin "platessa", meaning flatfish, which originated from the Ancient Greek "platys", meaning broad. The European plaice ("Pleuronectes platessa") is a
Elassoma evergladei 115 to 500, increasing with the fish's size. The fish has variable color and form. Its body is generally colored brown with darker spots. The fish has several rows of dark red spots on its dorsal and anal fins. "Nonbreeding" fish may have light streaks, mottling, or blotches. Females of the species in general are colored brown on their backs with mottled brown and cream/white coloring underneath, or they may be reddish brown. The females have no markings. "Breeding" males are colored black with iridescent blue spots. Males have black fins with or without brown spots. Male bodies may be