Appearance
- Bottom oriented flatfish with both eyes on the left side
- Several ocellated or eyelike spots on the body, at least five of which are arranged in an "X" pattern
- Strong canine-like teeth
- Wedge-shaped tail, its tip in the middle
Similar Species: Gulf flounder, P. albigutta (has only three prominent eyelike spots); summer flounder, P. dentatus (have 5 or more ocellated or eyelike spots on the body)
Size: Common to 20 inches
Habitat
Brackish bays and estuaries, sometimes ranging into tidal creeks and freshwater.
Behavior
Right eye migrates over to left side early in life.
A bottom-dweller thought to spawn offshore.
Mostly feeds on small fishes.
Ability to camouflage by changing colors to match their surrounding habitat and avoid predators.