flatfish
CO Sole
Scientific name: Pleuronichthys coenosus
Family: Pleuronectidae
Phylum: Chordata
Typical size: Up to 30 centimeters total length
Depth range: Up to 300 meters but usually found shallower than 30 meters
Description: A flounder with its eyes on the right side of its body. The side of its body with their eyes is a dark brown or blue-purple. They have a larger head and a small asymmetrical mouth with thick lips.
Habitat and behavior: They can live from Alaska to Baja California. They live In both rocky and sandy environments.
english sole
Scientific name: Parophrys vetulus
Family: Pleuronectidae
Phylum: Chordata
Typical size: 20 to 40 centimeters total length
Depth range: Intertidal to 600 meters
Description: A diamond-shaped flatfish with both eyes on the right side of their head. The side with its eyes is brown with some white spaces, and the other side is white or pale yellow with some reddish-brown on it.
Habitat and behavior: They live from from the Bering Sea to Baja California. They often live on sand bottoms where they are camouflaged.
Southern rock sole
Scientific name: Lepidopsetta bilineata
Family: Pleuronectidae
Phylum: Chordata
Typical size: Up to 60 centimeters total length
Depth range: Up to 600 meters, usually between 30 to 65 meters
Description: A flatfish with eyes on the right side. The dorsal body color is grey and spotted with darker or lighter shades. The underside is light in color. They have a small mouth with large lips and the teeth are more developed on the bottom side.
Habitat and behavior: They can live from Bering strait to southern California. They live in rocky or sandy seafloors.
pacific sanddab
Scientific name: Citharichthys Sordidus
Family: Paralichthyidae
Phylum: Chordata
Typical size: 10 to 30 centimeters total length
Depth range: 10 to 600 meters deep, usually found between 40 and 100 meters
Description: A left-eye flounder with brown, white, yellow and orange mixed colors on the side of the body with an eye. On the other side it is white or light brown.
Habitat and behavior: Lives from the Bering Sea to Baja California. They live on the seafloor in muddy and sandy areas. It will eat small fish, cephalopods, eggs and crustaceans. It will often nestle into sand to camouflage itself.
speckled sanddab
Scientific name: Citharichthys stigmaeus
Family: Paralichthyidae
Phylum: Chordata
Typical size: Up to 17 centimeters
Depth range: Intertidal zone to 100 meters
Description: Both eyes are on top of its head on the left side. Their body is sandy colored and speckled to match the substrate where it lives.
Habitat and behavior: The speckled sanddab buries slightly in the sand and feeds on worms under the sand or small creatures floating above.