Species: Bothus maculiferus, Mottled Flounder

Bothus maculiferus (Poey, in Jordan & Goss, 1860)

Mottled Flounder

Body oval, its depth 50-55% of SL; front profile convex, without distinct notch; space between eyes flat and much wider than eye (especially in male), lower eye well before upper, front edge of upper over center of lower; eye diameter <23% of head length and shorter than snout; eyes with well developed tentacles in adult; mouth moderate, ends under front half of eye; teeth small, on both sides of both jaws; 6-8 (usually 7) lower gill rakers; dorsal rays 90-105; anal rays 70-80; pectoral rays not branched, eye-side fin 8-10, male with upper rays greatly elongate (to tail base) on eye side; eye-side pelvic fin with origin under lower eye, with much longer base, situated on body midline, its origin before that of blind-side fin; lateral-line scales 82-83; lateral line on eye side only, strongly arched above the pectoral, no branch under lower eye.

Body pale grey, with scattered pale blue to gold rings on body; a dark blotch behind lateral line arch and a larger one on the lateral line at about mid-body.

Size: reaches 25 cm.

Habitat: sand bottoms and seagrass flats.

Depth: 0-102 m.

Bermuda to Brazil.

Note: Bothus ellipticus from Cuba is a synonym.