Genus: Etropus, Flounders, Smallmouth Sand Flounder

ETROPUS

FLOUNDERS

Eyes on left side; mouth very short, < 30% of head length, not reaching under front edge of eye; jaws on blind side arched; most of teeth on blind side, in 1 row on each jaw, none enlarged; pectoral fins on both sides of body, with branched rays; pelvic fins symmetrically positioned on belly, base of eye-side fin on body midline, short bases; urinary papilla on blind side, immediately behind anus; lateral line well developed on both sides, relatively straight, no branch under lower eye.

A new world, tropical to subtropical genus with 9 species; 5 species in our area: 2 neotropical (1 with a subspecies endemic to the Greater Caribbean), and 3 NW Atlantic.