A cladistic analysis of the eight species included in the Scophthalmidae was performed using 25 morphological features, mostly osteological. The analysis resulted in a single cladogram (exhaustive search, 34 steps, consistency index = 0.735, retention index = 0.864). The monophyly of the Scophthalmidae is supported by 4 synapomorphies. Two apomorphic features confirm the genus Scophthalmus as monophyletic; within this genus the brill (S. rhombus) is more closely related to the windowpane (S. aquosus) than to the turbot (S. maximus). The genus Lepidorhombus is the sister group of a Phrynorhombus+Zeugopterus clade; within this clade, P. regius is closely related to Z. punctatus. Phrynorhombus regius is referred to the genus Zeugopterus. Analysis of the fossil record suggests that scophthalmids first appeared in the Oligocene of Europe (ca. 35 mya).