Species: Paralichthys albigutta, Gulf Flounder

Paralichthys albigutta Jordan & Gilbert, 1882

Gulf Flounder

Body oval, elongate (39-48% of SL); eyes on left side; narrow and flat between eyes; upper profile of head straight; mouth large, ends under or behind rear edge of lower eye; teeth are large canines, in a single row on each jaw; 9-12 lower gill rakers; dorsal rays 71-85, its origin above center between nostrils, front rays not elongated; 53-63 anal rays; pectoral fins on both sides of body, with branched rays, eye-side fin short (not reaching to straight part of lateral line) and rounded, 10-12 rays; pelvic fins with symmetric bases, base of neither fin on body midline, fins same size; urinary papilla on eye side, immediately behind level of anus; tail with a blunt point; eye-side scales smooth and small, 78-81 on lateral line, small accessory scales to main body scales in large fish; lateral line well developed on both sides, extending onto head, with branches to upper eye and below lower eye, strongly arched over pectoral fin.

Eye side brown; body and fins with numerous spots and blotches; 3 prominent dark ocelli forming a triangle on body, 1 on each side of the lateral line just behind curved section and 1 at rear on center of straight part of lateral line.

Size: 71 cm.

Habitat: sandy bottoms.

Depth: 1-130 m.

N Carolina to the Gulf of Mexico and the Bahamas.