Flounders and soles, which start life symmetrical and swimming upright, then have one eye migrate across the head as they settle onto one side. Everything about the adult follows from that.
Which side the eyes end up on is a family character and a useful first cut: the bothid flounders are left-eyed, the soles here mostly right-eyed. The blind underside is white and never seen.
They change pattern to match the bottom within seconds and bury by flapping sand over themselves, so the usual way one is seen is the moment it moves. Once it has settled again, finding it a second time is often impossible.
The peacock flounders raise the eyes on short stalks and move them independently, and a male displays by extending the pectoral fin straight up. That display is the photograph in this group.
Every one has a page. They are shown as a list rather than as pictures because nothing has been photographed or logged for them yet, and a species with nothing behind it should not sit in front of one that has.
How many of the 8 carry a record at each destination. A species usually carries several, so these do not add up to 8.
All 1316 species in one index, with filters for destination, rarity and hazard.
