Quelques cas d'ambicoloration et d'albinisme chez Solea Vulgaris QUENSEL

A characteristic feature of flatfishes (order Heterosomata) is the absence of pigmentation on their blind side. Asymmetric colouration is related to body asymmetry and with the bottom-dwelling habit of these fish. Pelagic larvae are symmetrical and usually possess chromatophores on both sides of the body. When one of the eyes migrates to one side or the other—to the left or to the right –and the larva settles on the bottom, the chromatophores on the blind side disappear. In certain fishes, such as Reinhardtius, Glyptocephalus, Taeniopsetta, etc., the blind side is usually brownish grey since that is where the melanophores develop. In turbots (Scophthalmus maximus), the blind side is often yellowish brown and in this case, fishermen call them "double turbots". It has long since been known that exposing the blind side of a flatfish to light can give rise to black spots on the blind side (Cunningham, 1895; Osborn, 1940). In flatfish, there are no normal cases of albinism. All the cases of albinism that have been reported were injury-related. (unverified OCR)