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Wide-eyed Flounder
Bothus podas
42.5867, 18.2153
Field Notes
Description:
The wide-eyed flounder is a fascinating species of flatfish known for its distinctive appearance and unique behaviors. Wide-eyed flounder is about 20 cm in length, although some individuals can grow larger. It represents an example of remarkable evolutionary adaptation, with its asymmetrical body and eye migration allowing it to live a benthic (bottom-dwelling) lifestyle. They have a mottled brown and sandy coloration which allows them to blend in with the ocean floor. This coloration can change to match their surroundings, providing effective camouflage - for exemple, this guy changed it's colours under our eyes, and blended perfectly with seafloor - it took me some time to spot it again in the pic (Pics No 3 and 4). As the name suggests, this species has notably large eyes positioned on the left side of its body, allowing it to see above while lying on the seafloor. Like other flounders, they start life with an eye on each side, but one eye migrates to the other side as they mature.
Habitat:
Observed on about 8-10m of depth, in a rather clear sea-water, on a sandy parts of a larger rock-sand platform near the shores of Dubrovnik. Commonly found in Mediterranean Sea, and the Adriatic in particular. They are typically found on sandy or muddy sea bottoms, often in shallow coastal waters but can also be found at depths of up to 100 meters. They prefer areas where they can easily blend in with the substrate to avoid predators and ambush prey.
Notes:
Apologizes for blurry pics, that day I was struggling with my (then new) camera.
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