Lefteye flounders

Lefteye flounders lie flat on the seabed with both eyes on the left side of the head. The larva swims upright like any other fish; as it settles, the right eye migrates across the skull and the animal spends the rest of its life on its blind side. Species here run from thumb-sized Engyprosopon of about 10 cm to tonguesoles and largetooth flounders near 45 cm. All are mottled to match sand or silt, and most lie buried with only the eye turrets showing, so they are found by outline and by the small cloud they raise when they move. Disturbed, they lift off, glide a few metres and settle again. They take crustaceans, worms and small fish, mostly after dark.