The megrim's habitats are off the coasts of Europe, from the Trondheim's Bay in Norway to the coast of Morocco, and into the western Mediterranean, all the way to Italy.  In Icelandic waters its distribution is the warmer seas off the west, south and southeast coasts.  During March its greatest concentrations are off the southwest coast.

It is a bottom dweller at depths of 40-400 metres, most commonly found at 100-200 metres.  It prefers sandy or muddy sea floor.  During winter it heads for deeper waters and vice versa in summer.  It feed on small fish, as well as squid and crustaceans. The species spawns in deep waters off Iceland the West of the British Isles, and the Mediterranean sea.  It grows up to 60 cm in length  It is fished commercially by some countries.