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Flounder (Grammatobothus polyophthalmus) — Bothidae

Flounder

Grammatobothus polyophthalmus
Family: Bothidae
LC · Least Concern

The Flounder (Grammatobothus polyophthalmus) is a saltwater fish of the family Bothidae that grows up to 21 cm.

Length
21 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
0.0–90.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Solitary
Body shape
Flat / disc-shaped
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Commonly eaten

Description

The threespot flounder is a left-eyed flatfish of the family Bothidae from the Indo-West Pacific. The species reaches about 21 cm; both eyes lie on the left side and the eyed side bears several conspicuous eye-spots, to which the name (polyophthalmus, many-eyed) refers. It inhabits shallow mud, sand and rubble bottoms of the continental shelf to about 90 m deep, where it lies half-buried in ambush for bottom animals. The camouflage pattern on the eyed side makes it almost invisible on the bottom. The species is marketed fresh and processed into fish meal.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Flounder?

The Flounder has a flattened, disc-shaped body, is mainly brown and shows a spots pattern.

Where does the Flounder live?

The Flounder lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around sand or mud bottom.

How big does the Flounder get?

The Flounder grows to a maximum of about 21 cm. On average the species is around 17 cm.

Is the Flounder dangerous to humans?

No, the Flounder is harmless to humans.

Is the Flounder edible?

Yes, the Flounder is commonly eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Drievlek-bot sourced
English name
Flounder verified
Scientific name
Grammatobothus polyophthalmus
Family
Bothidae
Other names
Threespot flounder; Three-spot flounder; Triangle flounder verified

Appearance

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

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom sourced
Min depth (m)
0.0 verified
Max depth (m)
90.0 verified
Origin
Native sourced

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore sourced
Social behaviour
Solitary inferred
Territorial
No inferred
Reproduction
Separate sexes sourced
Sexual dimorphism
No inferred

For anglers

Edibility
Commonly eaten sourced
Fishing method
Bodemvissen met natuurlijk aas (worm, garnaal of vis) op of vlak boven de bodem. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless sourced

Status & sources

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

More from the family Bothidae

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