Eyed flounder: Difference between revisions
Cwmhiraeth (talk | contribs) Adding distribution |
GunnarBonk (talk | contribs) m Bolded scientific name |
||
| (15 intermediate revisions by 13 users not shown) | |||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
{{Short description|Species of fish}} |
|||
{{ |
{{Speciesbox | name = Eyed flounder |
||
| image = Bothus ocellatus de Castelnau.jpg |
| image = Bothus ocellatus de Castelnau.jpg |
||
| image_caption = |
| image_caption = |
||
| taxon = Bothus ocellatus |
|||
| |
| status = LC |
||
| status_system = IUCN3.1 |
|||
| phylum = [[Chordata]] |
|||
| status_ref = <ref name="iucn status 19 November 2021">{{cite iucn |author=Munroe, T. |date=2015 |title=''Bothus ocellatus'' |volume=2015 |page=e.T16425468A16509797 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-4.RLTS.T16425468A16509797.en |access-date=19 November 2021}}</ref> |
|||
| classis = [[Osteichthyes]] |
|||
| ⚫ | |||
| ordo = [[Pleuronectiformes]] |
|||
| familia = [[Bothidae]] |
|||
| genus = ''[[Bothus]]'' |
|||
| species = '''''B. ocellatus''''' |
|||
| binomial = ''Bothus ocellatus'' |
|||
| ⚫ | |||
| synonyms = *''Platophrys ocellatus''<small> (Agassiz, 1831)</small> |
| synonyms = *''Platophrys ocellatus''<small> (Agassiz, 1831)</small> |
||
*''Rhombus bahianus''<small> Castelnau, 1855</small> |
*''Rhombus bahianus''<small> [[Francis de Laporte de Castelnau|Castelnau]], 1855</small> |
||
*''Rhombus ocellatus''<small> Agassiz, 1831</small> |
*''Rhombus ocellatus''<small> Agassiz, 1831</small> |
||
| synonyms_ref = <ref name=WoRMS/> |
| synonyms_ref = <ref name=WoRMS/> |
||
}} |
}} |
||
The '''eyed flounder''' (''Bothus ocellatus'') is a species of fish in the family [[Bothidae]] (lefteye flounders). The species is found |
The '''eyed flounder''' ('''''Bothus ocellatus''''') is a species of fish in the family [[Bothidae]] (lefteye flounders). The species is found on or near the sandy seabed in relatively shallow waters in the western [[Atlantic Ocean]], the [[Caribbean Sea]] and the [[Gulf of Mexico]]. |
||
==Description== |
==Description== |
||
The eyed flounder is a flattened, disc-shaped fish which grows to a maximum length of {{convert|18|cm|0|abbr=on}} but a more typical size is {{convert|12|cm|0|abbr=on}}. As with other members of its family, it lies on its right side, and during its development, its |
The eyed flounder is a flattened, disc-shaped fish which grows to a maximum length of {{convert|18|cm|0|abbr=on}} but a more typical size is {{convert|12|cm|0|abbr=on}}. As with other members of its family, it lies on its right side, and during its development, its right eye migrates to the left side of its head. The protractile mouth is large and the male fish has a spine on the snout and a bony lump in front of the lower eye. The eyes are large and prominent, the lower one being slightly nearer the snout than the upper one. Both eyes have a fleshy ridge above and behind them. The dorsal fin has 76 to 91 soft rays and has its origin close to the upper eye. It is long and ribbon-like and there is a gap between it and the caudal fin. The anal fin has 58 to 69 soft rays and is also long and distinct from the caudal fin. The color of this fish is pale tan, grey or brown, with patches, mottling and ring-shaped markings, the fish being able to modify its color to match its background. It can change its color in between two and eight seconds. Three larger dark spots lie on the straight portion of the [[lateral line]] and there are two fainter ones on the tail. It differs from the slightly darker [[twospot flounder]] (''Bothus robinsi'') because its tail spots are one above the other in this species but one behind the other in the twospot flounder. The underside of this species is pale.<ref name=FMNH>{{cite web |url=http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/gallery/Descript/EyedFlounder/EyedFlounder.html |title=Eyed flounder |author=Bester, Cathleen |work=Ichthyology |publisher=Florida Museum of Natural History |accessdate=2015-01-04}}</ref><ref name=FishBase>{{cite web |url=http://www.fishbase.ca/summary/Bothus-ocellatus.html |title=''Bothus ocellatus'' (Agassiz, 1831) |author=Froese, Rainer |work=FishBase |accessdate=2015-01-04}}</ref> |
||
==Distribution and habitat== |
==Distribution and habitat== |
||
[[File:Bothus ocellatus - pone.0010676.g188.png|thumb|left|Eyed flounder]] |
[[File:Bothus ocellatus - pone.0010676.g188.png|thumb|left|Eyed flounder]] |
||
The eyed flounder is found in the western Atlantic Ocean, the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico, its range extending from Canada to southern Brazil. Its typical habitat is sandy flats, |
The eyed flounder is found in the western Atlantic Ocean, the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico, its range extending from Canada to southern Brazil. Its typical habitat is sandy flats in the vicinity of patch reefs, often near areas of coral rubble and [[seagrass meadow]]s. It commonly occurs at depths down to about {{convert|50|m|0|abbr=on}} but is sometimes found at greater depths, down to {{convert|110|m|0|abbr=on}}. It spends most of the time lying on the seabed, sometimes semi-immersed in the sediment.<ref name=FMNH/><ref name=FishBase/> |
||
==Biology== |
==Biology== |
||
The eyed flounder feeds on fish, which makes up about a third of its diet, and on [[crustacean]]s such as [[crab]]s, [[mantis shrimp]]s, [[shrimp]]s and [[Amphipoda|amphipods]].<ref name=WoRMS/> |
The eyed flounder feeds on fish, which makes up about a third of its diet, and on [[crustacean]]s such as [[crab]]s, [[mantis shrimp]]s, [[shrimp]]s and [[Amphipoda|amphipods]].<ref name=WoRMS/> |
||
Near the island of [[Bonaire]], reproduction takes place during the winter. A male eyed flounder defends a [[Territory (animal)|territory]] in which are up to six females, each with its own individual area. Courtship starts about an hour before sunset, and around the time the sun sets culminates in the female swimming a short way off the bottom with the male immediately below her. Both release their spawn simultaneously into the water. The male tries to mate with each of the females on a daily basis.<ref name=FMNH/> When the [[larva]]e hatch from the fertilised eggs, they are [[pelagic fish|pelagic]] and form part of the [[plankton]] in the open water, and their eyes are at first orientated in a normal, symmetrical manner. During their growth and development the eyes migrate to their adult position on the left side of the head.<ref name=FMNH/> The larvae and juvenile fish form part of the diet of many fish and invertebrates, and the adults are [[Predation|preyed]] on by predatory fishes, [[gull]]s, [[egret]]s, [[heron]]s, [[Pinniped|seals]] and [[sea lion]]s.<ref name=FMNH/> |
|||
==References== |
==References== |
||
{{ |
{{Reflist}} |
||
==External links== |
|||
* {{sealifephotos|159275}} |
|||
{{Taxonbar|from=Q3754371}} |
|||
[[Category:Bothidae]] |
[[Category:Bothidae]] |
||
[[Category: |
[[Category:Fish described in 1831]] |
||
[[Category:Fish of Aruba]] |
|||
[[Category:Marine fish of Nicaragua]] |
|||
Latest revision as of 01:17, 12 September 2024
| Eyed flounder | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Carangiformes |
| Family: | Bothidae |
| Genus: | Bothus |
| Species: | B. ocellatus
|
| Binomial name | |
| Bothus ocellatus | |
| Synonyms[2] | |
| |
The eyed flounder (Bothus ocellatus) is a species of fish in the family Bothidae (lefteye flounders). The species is found on or near the sandy seabed in relatively shallow waters in the western Atlantic Ocean, the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico.
Description
[edit]The eyed flounder is a flattened, disc-shaped fish which grows to a maximum length of 18 cm (7 in) but a more typical size is 12 cm (5 in). As with other members of its family, it lies on its right side, and during its development, its right eye migrates to the left side of its head. The protractile mouth is large and the male fish has a spine on the snout and a bony lump in front of the lower eye. The eyes are large and prominent, the lower one being slightly nearer the snout than the upper one. Both eyes have a fleshy ridge above and behind them. The dorsal fin has 76 to 91 soft rays and has its origin close to the upper eye. It is long and ribbon-like and there is a gap between it and the caudal fin. The anal fin has 58 to 69 soft rays and is also long and distinct from the caudal fin. The color of this fish is pale tan, grey or brown, with patches, mottling and ring-shaped markings, the fish being able to modify its color to match its background. It can change its color in between two and eight seconds. Three larger dark spots lie on the straight portion of the lateral line and there are two fainter ones on the tail. It differs from the slightly darker twospot flounder (Bothus robinsi) because its tail spots are one above the other in this species but one behind the other in the twospot flounder. The underside of this species is pale.[3][4]
Distribution and habitat
[edit]
The eyed flounder is found in the western Atlantic Ocean, the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico, its range extending from Canada to southern Brazil. Its typical habitat is sandy flats in the vicinity of patch reefs, often near areas of coral rubble and seagrass meadows. It commonly occurs at depths down to about 50 m (164 ft) but is sometimes found at greater depths, down to 110 m (361 ft). It spends most of the time lying on the seabed, sometimes semi-immersed in the sediment.[3][4]
Biology
[edit]The eyed flounder feeds on fish, which makes up about a third of its diet, and on crustaceans such as crabs, mantis shrimps, shrimps and amphipods.[2]
Near the island of Bonaire, reproduction takes place during the winter. A male eyed flounder defends a territory in which are up to six females, each with its own individual area. Courtship starts about an hour before sunset, and around the time the sun sets culminates in the female swimming a short way off the bottom with the male immediately below her. Both release their spawn simultaneously into the water. The male tries to mate with each of the females on a daily basis.[3] When the larvae hatch from the fertilised eggs, they are pelagic and form part of the plankton in the open water, and their eyes are at first orientated in a normal, symmetrical manner. During their growth and development the eyes migrate to their adult position on the left side of the head.[3] The larvae and juvenile fish form part of the diet of many fish and invertebrates, and the adults are preyed on by predatory fishes, gulls, egrets, herons, seals and sea lions.[3]
References
[edit]- ^ Munroe, T. (2015). "Bothus ocellatus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2015: e.T16425468A16509797. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-4.RLTS.T16425468A16509797.en. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
- ^ a b c Bailly, Nicolas (2014). "Bothus ocellatus (Agassiz, 1831)". WoRMS. World Register of Marine Species. Retrieved 2015-01-04.
- ^ a b c d e Bester, Cathleen. "Eyed flounder". Ichthyology. Florida Museum of Natural History. Retrieved 2015-01-04.
- ^ a b Froese, Rainer. "Bothus ocellatus (Agassiz, 1831)". FishBase. Retrieved 2015-01-04.
External links
[edit]- Photos of Eyed flounder on Sealife Collection