Species: Paralichthys oblongus, Fourspot Flounder

Paralichthys oblongus (Mitchill, 1815)

Fourspot Flounder

Body and elongate oval; eyes on left side, large, close together, separated by a bony ridge; mouth long; teeth in 1 row on jaws, canine-like, larger at front, equally developed on both jaws; gill rakers moderately long and stout, 3-6+7-10; dorsal rays 71-86, origin of fin over front edge of top eye; anal rays 58-72; pectoral fins short, eye-side fin ~ ½ length of head, on both sides of body, with branched rays; pelvic fins symmetrically positioned on belly, with short bases, base of neither fin on body midline; urinary papilla on eye side, immediately behind level of anus; scales large, without small accessory scales, smooth on both sides; lateral line well developed on both sides, extending onto head, with branches to upper eye and below lower eye, strongly arched over pectoral fin, with 63-95 scales.

Brown; 2 pairs of large, dark-centered ocelli on eye side, positioned near upper and lower edges of body, 1 pair on mid-body, the other near base of tail.

Reaches 41 cm.

Lives on soft bottoms.

Depth range: 27-311 m.

Nova Scotia to the northern Gulf of Mexico.