A flatfish is a member of the ray-finned demersal fish order Pleuronectiformes, also called the Heterosomata, sometimes classified as a suborder of Perciformes. In many species, both eyes lie on one side of the head, one or the other migrating through or around the head during development. Some species face their left sides upward, some face their right sides upward, and others face either side upward.
Herring are forage fish, mostly belonging to the family of Clupeidae.
The American soles are a family (Achiridae) of flatfish occurring in both freshwater and marine environments of the Americas. The family includes about 35 species in seven genera. These are closely related to the soles (Soleidae), and have been classified as a subfamily of it, but achirids have a number of distinct characteristics.
Citharichthys is a genus of flatfish in the large-tooth flounder family, Paralichthyidae. They have both eyes on the left sides of their heads. They are native to the oceans around the Americas, with a single species, C. stampflii off the West African coast. Most are found in relatively shallow depths, but the genus also includes species found in deep water and species that enter fresh water.
The brill is a species of flatfish in the turbot family (Scophthalmidae) of the order Pleuronectiformes. Brill can be found in the northeast Atlantic, Black Sea, Baltic Sea, and Mediterranean, primarily in deeper offshore waters.
Plotosus is a genus of eeltail catfishes native to the Indian Ocean, the western Pacific Ocean and New Guinea.
Samaridae is a family of crested flounders, small flatfishes native to the Indo-Pacific. The family contains four genera with a total of 29 species.
The spiny turbots are a family, Psettodidae, of relatively large, primitive flatfish found in the tropical waters of the east Atlantic and Indo-Pacific. The family contains just three species, all in the same genus, Psettodes. The common name comes from the presence of spines in the dorsal and anal fins, which may indicate an evolutionary relationship with the Perciformes. They are less asymmetrical than other flatfish, although the region around the eyes is twisted. They reach lengths of 55–80 cm (22–31 in).
Symphurus thermophilus is a species of tonguefish notable for being the only flatfish known to be an obligate inhabitant of hydrothermal vents. It is known from several widely dispersed locations in the western Pacific Ocean and occurs in great numbers. They are tolerant of harsh conditions and are often found in close association with elemental sulfur, including molten sulfur pools that exceed 180 °C in temperature. As they are not significantly different in appearance and feeding habits from other tonguefishes, they are thought to be relatively recent colonizers of vent ecosystems.
Symphurus is a genus of fish in the family Cynoglossidae found in the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Ocean. Most species mainly occur in relatively shallow water, including estuaries. Some species are also found in deeper water, including S. thermophilus that lives at hydrothermal vents. These species are distinguished by merged dorsal, caudal and anal fins, the absence of a lateral line and pectoral fins, and the presence of only one pelvic fin. They are sinistral flatfishes, meaning that as adults, their crania are asymmetrical, with both eyes on the left side. The largest species grows to about 32 cm (1 ft) long.
Platichthys is a genus of flatfish native to the North Pacific and North Atlantic oceans. Despite being in the family Pleuronectidae, all three species in the genus Platichthys are often "lefteyed", i.e. they lie on the sea bottom on their right side, with both eyes on the left side.
Peltorhamphus is a genus of righteye flounders native to the southwest Pacific Ocean around New Zealand and Norfolk Island (Australia).
Rhombosoleidae is a family of flatfish in the order Pleuronectiformes, comprising nine genera and 19 species; all members of this family are right eye flounders with asymmetrical pelvic fins. Species are typically demersal, living on bottoms in temperate marine waters on the continental shelf, although some species of Rhombosolea enter fresh water in New Zealand. Most are restricted to waters around Australia and New Zealand, though the Remo flounder, Oncopterus darwinii, occurs in the southwestern Atlantic and the Indonesian ocellated flounder, Psammodiscus ocellatus, occurs in Indonesia.
Cynoglossus is a genus of fish in the family Cynoglossidae. Most species are indigenous to the Indo-Pacific region, but there are also a few in warmer parts of the East Atlantic. They are commonly found in shallow waters on a muddy or sandy bottom, including estuaries and a few species are restricted to fresh water. One species Cynoglossus sinusarabici has invaded the Mediterranean Sea through the Suez Canal from the Red Sea, a process known as Lessepsian or Erythrean migration.
The East Pacific ventbrotula is a species of cusk-eel found around thermal vents on the southern East Pacific Rise at depths of about 2,586 metres (8,484 ft). This species grows to a length of 28.2 centimetres (11.1 in) SL. It is the only known member of its genus. The generic name is a compound of vent, for the Oasis hydrothermal vent on the south East Pacific Rise and the Greek ichthys meaning "fish", while the specific name refers to the French BIOSPEEDO expedition to the south East Pacific Rise which collected the type specimen in 2004.
The gargoyle cusk is a species of cusk-eel from the subfamily Neobythitinae of the family Ophidiidae. This species grows to a length of 57 centimetres (22 in) TL. It is the only known member of its genus. The specific name honours George S. Myers (1905-1985) of Stanford University who taught the describer, Daniel Cohen, ichthyology. It is a rare benthopelagic fish which occurs at depths of 984–2,500 metres (3,228–8,202 ft) around the world, other than the eastern Pacific, in tropical and subtropical latitudes.
Citharichthys cornutus, the horned whiff, is a species of flatfish in the large-tooth flounder family Paralichthyidae. This bathydemersal marine fish inhabits the continental shelves of the western Atlantic Ocean, in both tropical and subtropical waters. It ranges from New Jersey in the north to Uruguay in the south, though larvae samples have also been collected off the coast of Canada. It occurs at depths between 30 and 400 metres, though it is usually found in deeper waters.
The tufted sole is a species of flatfish from the family of true soles Soleidae. It is the only species in the monotypic genus Dexillus. It is found in the Indian and western Pacific Oceans.
Daikoku Seamount is an active volcanic seamount in the Northern Mariana Islands of the United States. This underwater volcano is located at the northern end of the Mariana Islands range.
