Bothidae

Lefteye flounders
Scaldfish, Arnoglossus laterna
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Pleuronectiformes
Suborder: Pleuronectoidei
Family: Bothidae
Regan, 1910
Genera

Arnoglossus
Asterorhombus
Bothus
Chascanopsetta
Crossorhombus
Engyophrys
Engyprosopon
Grammatobothus
Japonolaeops
Kamoharaia
Laeops
Lophonectes
Monolene
Neolaeops
Parabothus
Perissias
Psettina
Taeniopsetta
Tosarhombus
Trichopsetta

Lefteye flounders are a family, Bothidae, of flounders. They are called "lefteye flounders" because most species lie on the sea bottom on their right sides, with both eyes on their left sides. A helpful reminder when trying to recall the family name for this fish is that "Bothidae (Both o' dey) eyes are on the same side o' dey head."[1] The family is also distinguished by the presence of spines on the snout and near the eyes.[2]

Lefteye flounders vary considerably in size between the more than 160 species, ranging from 4.5 cm (1.8 in) to 1.5 m (4.9 ft) in length. They include such economically important species as the Japanese halibut.[2]

See also

References

  1. Froese, Rainer, and Daniel Pauly, eds. (2006). "Bothidae" in FishBase. February 2006 version.
  2. 2.0 2.1 Chapleau, Francois & Amaoka, Kunio (1998). Paxton, J.R. & Eschmeyer, W.N., ed. Encyclopedia of Fishes. San Diego: Academic Press. pp. 224–225. ISBN 0-12-547665-5.