The flounders, a family of 100 species, inhabits almost all of the marine waters of the Northern hemisphere, and have existed in the sea for the last 50 million years
Flounders genally have both eyes on the right side of their bodies (the exceptions are the Starry flounder and Pacific halibut which occasionally have both eyes on the left side), but they do not begin their lives with this ocular configuration. They start as most fish do, with one eye on either side of the head. But at a specific time in their lives (depending on the species), their skulls begin to twist, one eye begins to migrate, and they start to swim sideways, until they transform into full-fledged flatfish and begin their bottom-dwelling adulthood.
Flounders genally have both eyes on the right side of their bodies (the exceptions are the Starry flounder and Pacific halibut which occasionally have both eyes on the left side), but they do not begin their lives with this ocular configuration. They start as most fish do, with one eye on either side of the head. But at a specific time in their lives (depending on the species), their skulls begin to twist, one eye begins to migrate, and they start to swim sideways, until they transform into full-fledged flatfish and begin their bottom-dwelling adulthood.
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C-O sole (Pleuronichthys coenosus) |
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Rock sole (Pleuronectes bilineatus) |
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Starry flounder (Platichthys stellatus) |