Family: BOTHIDAE, Lefteye Flounder, Flounders, Left-Eye Flounders

FAMILY BOTHIDAE

FLOUNDERS, LEFT-EYE FLOUNDERS

Bothids are small to medium sized founders (to ~ 45 cm) have highly flattened, disc-like bodies; eyes on left side of the body; edge of preopercle exposed and easily visible; mouth protrusible, asymmetrical, lower jaw moderately prominent; teeth sometimes canines; dorsal fin originates either above or ahead of eye; dorsal and anal fins contain numerous segmented rays; dorsal and anal fins separated from tail fin; both pectorals and both pelvics present (blind side pectoral lost in adults of Monolene); pelvic fin on eye-side with longer base, situated on body midline, its origin before that of blind-side fin; pectoral fin rays not branched; lateral line on eye side only, strongly arched above the pectoral, sometimes forked behind top eye, but without extension under lower eye; often sexually dimorphic in separation of eyes, length of pectorals.

Worldwide this tropical to temperate family contains about 160 species in 20 genera.In the Greater Caribbean there are 13 species from five genera in shallow waters, 5 endemics, 7 W Atlantic, and 1 found on both sides of the Atlantic and the Indo-west Pacific.