Species: Etropus crossotus, Fringed Flounder

Etropus crossotus Jordan & Gilbert, 1882

Fringed Flounder

Body relatively deep (50-58% of SL); head short, pointed (20-27% of SL); eyes on left side, top eye at top edge of head; space between eyes very narrow, the ridge over each eye coalesced; mouth very small, 23-26% of head, ends under front edge of eye; jaws on blind side arched; most of teeth on blind side, in 1 row on each jaw, none enlarged; lower gill rakers 7-8 (6-9); dorsal fin rays 73-84; anal fin rays 57-67; pectoral fins on both sides of body, with branched rays, fin 50-75% of head length, 10 rays; pelvic fins symmetrically positioned on belly, base of eye-side fin on body midline, short bases, 6 rays; tail fin with blunt angular point; urinary papilla on blind side, immediately behind anus; lateral line well developed on both sides, starts at top corner of operculum, complete, relatively straight, no branch under lower eye; scales small, rough on eye side, smooth on blind side, easily dislodged, without small accessory scales; no scales on snout; 38-45 lateral line scales.

Dark brown, with narrow black scale margins; median fins dusky blackish; outer edge of tail fin often dark; males often with dark pigment on rear half of blind side.

Size: to 22 cm.

Inhabits soft mud and sand bottoms.

Depth: 1-110 m.

West Atlantic and E Pacific; Virginia to Brazil.