Bothus pantherinus
Leopard Flounder
©Hectonichus: in Polynesia
©David Witherall and Liam Hughes: Ocean Freedom, Upolu Reef
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Chordata
Class
Actinopterygii
Order
Pleuronectiformes
Family
Bothidae
Genus
Bothus
Species
Bothus pantherinus
Colours
Distinguishing features
A flat fish with both eyes on the left side of the body. Excellent camouflage colours for its sandy bottom habitat: mottled brownwith many flower-shaped blotches usually with a a single darker blotch towards the rear on the midline.
Size
- Up to 30 cm (Length)
Depth range
- Depth range data is not yet available.
Synonyms
Interesting facts
- When young this fish swims like any other fish. As it matures however, its right eye travels to the left side of its body, its right pectoral fin (fin on the side) shrinks (if it is a male, its left one grows longer to wave at females) and it moves to the bottom lying on its side camouflaging itself in the sand.
Distribution
©Atlas of Living Australia: Australian distribution
Distribution and habitat preferences
It can be found in marine environments.Local abundance
- Lizard Island: Possibly quite abundant but rarely seen due to camouflage colours and habitat that is usually just swum over.
Web resources
References
- Allen and M.V. Erdmann, G.R. (2012). Reef fishes of the East Indies. Volumes I-III in: Reef fishes of the East Indies. Tropical Reef Research, Perth, Australia. LIRS catalog number 90162.
- Gunter, N.L., M.A.A. Burger and R.D. Adlard (2010). Morphometric and molecular characterisation of four new Ceratomyxa species (Myxosporea: Bivalvulida: Ceratomyxidae) from fishes off Lizard Island, Australia, Folia Parasitologica, 57: 1-10. LIRS catalog number 1317.
- Jabbar, A., A. Asnoussi, L.J. Norbury, A. Eisenbarth, S. Shamsi, R.B. Gasser, A.L. Lopata and I. Beveridge (2012). Larval anisakid nematodes in teleost fishes from Lizard Island, northern Great Barrier Reef, Australia. Marine and Freshwater Research, 63: 1283-1299. LIRS catalog number 1584.