Home · Paralichthyidae · Cartwright's flounder
Cartwright's flounder (Pseudorhombus dupliciocellatus) — Paralichthyidae

Cartwright's flounder

Pseudorhombus dupliciocellatus
LC · Least Concern

The Cartwright's flounder (Pseudorhombus dupliciocellatus) is a saltwater fish of the family Paralichthyidae that grows up to 40 cm.

Length
40 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
50.0–150.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Solitary
Activity
Nocturnal
Body shape
Flat / disc-shaped
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom
Danger
Harmless
Range
Indo-West Pacific
Edibility
Commonly eaten

Want the complete picture on the Cartwright's flounder?

Get the app

Description

The ocellated flounder is a left-eyed flatfish from the Indo-West Pacific. The species grows to about 40 cm and has the typical, strongly asymmetric flatfish body with both eyes on the left side and, on the brown upper side, several pairs of large, ocellated eyespots. As a bottom-dweller it lies buried on sandy and muddy bottoms and ambushes small fish and crustaceans. The fish is harmless to humans and is assessed as Least Concern (LC) by the IUCN.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Cartwright's flounder?

The Cartwright's flounder has a flattened, disc-shaped body, is mainly brown and shows a spots pattern. Pairs of large eyed eyespots; buried ambush predator

Where does the Cartwright's flounder live?

The Cartwright's flounder lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around sand or mud bottom. Indo-West Pacific

How big does the Cartwright's flounder get?

The Cartwright's flounder grows to a maximum of about 40 cm. On average the species is around 25 cm.

Is the Cartwright's flounder dangerous to humans?

No, the Cartwright's flounder is harmless to humans. This species is harmless to humans. No specific first aid is needed. Still handle the fish with care: mind the fin rays and the sharp edges of the gill cover, and rinse any scratch with clean water and cover it. For a dirty or deep wound check tetanus status.

Is the Cartwright's flounder edible?

Yes, the Cartwright's flounder is commonly eaten.

More photos

Cartwright's flounder (Pseudorhombus dupliciocellatus) — Paralichthyidae — 2
Wikimedia Commons — Totti (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Cartwright's flounder (Pseudorhombus dupliciocellatus) — Paralichthyidae — 3
Indiana Riley (CC BY 4.0) via GBIF — AM
Cartwright's flounder (Pseudorhombus dupliciocellatus) — Paralichthyidae — 4
Wikimedia Commons — タウナギ (CC0)
Cartwright's flounder (Pseudorhombus dupliciocellatus) — Paralichthyidae — 5
iNaturalist ((c) Sylvain Le Bris, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Fin

Want the complete picture on the Cartwright's flounder?

Point your camera at the fish and Fin names the species in seconds. Free, and the Cartwright's flounder is one of 12,519 species in the app.

Get the app →

All data

Identification

English name
Cartwright's flounder verified
Scientific name
Pseudorhombus dupliciocellatus
Family
Paralichthyidae
Other names
Dab; Flounder; Fourspot flounder; Four-spot flounder; Ocellated flounder; Twin-spot flounder verified

Appearance

Size class
Medium verified
Max length (cm)
40.0 verified
Average length (cm)
25.0 verified
Body shape
Flat / disc-shaped sourced
Dominant colour
Brown inferred
Pattern
Spots sourced
Tail shape
Rounded inferred
Mouth position
Terminal sourced
Lips
Thin sourced
Barbels
No sourced
Dorsal fins
One continuous sourced
Dorsal spines
No sourced

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom sourced
Min depth (m)
50.0 verified
Max depth (m)
150.0 verified
Natural range
Indo-West Pacific verified
Origin
Native verified

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore sourced
Diet (detail)
Small fishes and crustaceans inferred
Social behaviour
Solitary sourced
Territorial
No sourced
Activity
Nocturnal sourced
Reproduction
Separate sexes sourced
Sexual dimorphism
No sourced
Seasonality
Burrowing eyespot flatfish; present year-round. sourced
Special features
Pairs of large eyed eyespots; buried ambush predator sourced

For anglers

Edibility
Commonly eaten sourced
Fishing method
Bottom fishing with natural bait (worm, shrimp or fish) on or just above the seabed. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless sourced
First aid
This species is harmless to humans. No specific first aid is needed. Still handle the fish with care: mind the fin rays and the sharp edges of the gill cover, and rinse any scratch with clean water and cover it. For a dirty or deep wound check tetanus status. verified

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

Same genus Pseudorhombus

More from the family Paralichthyidae

Fin

Want the complete picture on the Cartwright's flounder?

Point your camera at the fish and Fin names the species in seconds. Free, and the Cartwright's flounder is one of 12,519 species in the app.

Get the app →
Is this the Cartwright's flounder? Get the app