Species: Poecilopsetta beanii, Deepwater Dab

Poecilopsetta beanii (Goode, 1881)

Deepwater Dab

Body oval, relatively elongated (depth 32-39% SL), strongly compressed; head relatively small (19-21% SL); snout much shorter than eye, notched; eyes on right side, large, nearly equal in position, without tentacles, separated by a narrow ridge; mouth asymmetrical, short, ends under front of pupil; nostrils paired, on each side of head; teeth small, slender, in 2 rows, on both jaws; preopercular margin free, not covered with skin and scales; gill rakers stout, short, pointed at tips, not serrated, 6+10-11; fins without spines, dorsal- and anal-fin rays simple; no elongation of dorsal- or pelvic-fin rays; dorsal fin origin over pupil of upper eye; dorsal rays 63-68; anal rays 50-56; pectorals present on both sides, 10 rays on eye-side; pelvic fins with 6 unbranched rays, short based, not joined to anal fin; anus on mid-ventral line; genital papilla on right side of body, slightly above anus; lateral line well developed on ocular side, with strong curve above pectoral fin, no branch to head, absent on blind side; scales moderately small, easily shed, rough on ocular side, smooth on blind side; lateral line scales 83-84 (80-89).

Brown, with small dark blotches along upper and lower body profiles; lower surface with scattered small dark spots; dorsal and anal fins with dark lines along some of rays; tail fin with a large dark blotch at the rear half of the upper and lower borders.

Reaches 9 cm

Sandy bottoms

Depth range 155-1636 m.

New England to northern Brazil.