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Eyed flounder (Bothus ocellatus) — Bothidae

Eyed flounder

Bothus ocellatus
Family: Bothidae
LC · Least Concern

The Eyed flounder (Bothus ocellatus) is a saltwater fish of the family Bothidae that grows up to 18 cm.

Length
18 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
1.0–110.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Solitary
Body shape
Flat / disc-shaped
Substrate
Stone or rock
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Rarely eaten

Description

Bothus ocellatus is a left-eyed flatfish of the family Bothidae from the western Atlantic. Both eyes lie on the left side of the strongly flattened body; the upper side is light brown with a mottled pattern and several eye-like spots that provide camouflage on sand and coral-rubble bottoms near reefs. The species occurs from shallow coastal water to about 110 metres deep and usually lies motionless on the bottom, swimming off only when disturbed. About one-third of the diet consists of fishes, the rest of crustaceans such as crabs, shrimps and amphipods. The fish reaches about 18 cm.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Eyed flounder?

The Eyed flounder has a flattened, disc-shaped body, is mainly brown and shows a spots pattern.

Where does the Eyed flounder live?

The Eyed flounder lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around stony or rocky ground.

How big does the Eyed flounder get?

The Eyed flounder grows to a maximum of about 18 cm. On average the species is around 12 cm.

Is the Eyed flounder dangerous to humans?

No, the Eyed flounder is harmless to humans.

Is the Eyed flounder edible?

The Eyed flounder is rarely eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Oogvlek-bot sourced
English name
Eyed flounder verified
Scientific name
Bothus ocellatus
Family
Bothidae
Other names
Eyed Flounder; Eyed flounder verified

Appearance

Size class
Medium verified
Max length (cm)
18.0 verified
Average length (cm)
12.0 verified
Body shape
Flat / disc-shaped sourced
Dominant colour
Brown inferred
Pattern
Spots inferred
Lips
Thin inferred
Barbels
No sourced
Dorsal spines
No sourced

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Stone or rock sourced
Min depth (m)
1.0 verified
Max depth (m)
110.0 verified
Origin
Native sourced

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore sourced
Social behaviour
Solitary inferred
Territorial
No inferred
Reproduction
Separate sexes sourced
Sexual dimorphism
No inferred

For anglers

Edibility
Rarely eaten sourced
Fishing method
Vissen met natuurlijk aas (vis, garnaal, worm) of kunstaas dicht bij rif- en rotsstructuren. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless sourced

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

Same genus Bothus

More from the family Bothidae

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