eyed flounder
Bothus ocellatus
A small flounder of sandy bottoms with shallow reefs, from Brazil to the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico. It spends most of its time resting on the bottom.
Also called: linguado-ocelado, linguado, eyed flounder
- maximum
- 18 cm
- record/max.
- 0.1 kg
- depth
- 10–50 m
who is the eyed flounder
The ocellated flounder belongs to the family Bothidae (lefteye flounders) and reaches 18 cm and 76 g. It lives on sand areas with coral rubble or seagrass, near patch reefs, generally at 10 to 50 m. It sits still on the bottom and only moves when startled. About a third of its diet is fish, and the rest is crustaceans such as crabs, shrimp, amphipods and tanaids. It has little commercial use and is also sold for aquariums.
Essential profile. Identification, where it occurs and rules, with data from FishBase and the cited regulations. Season, time of day, technique and bait are added once we have a good source for the eyed flounder; in the meantime, see the similar species.
fun facts
- It sits still on the bottom and only moves when startled.
identification
A flat, short, deep body with both eyes on the same side, like all flounders. It is light colored, gray or beige, with irregular pale rings or rosettes, some with dark borders, and scattered dark dots. Along the straight lateral line there are three large dark spots, the middle one the most distinct. It differs from Bothus maculiferus, which reaches 25 cm, while this species reaches 18 cm.
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Each card shows the day's index (0 to 100) and, below it, a strip with the index for each hour, from 0h to 23h. from poor to excellent.
Essential profile: the index uses a general fish model (weather, sun, moon and tide), without a season or time of day specific to this species.
where found
It occurs from the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean to southern Brazil, on sandy bottoms with patch reefs and seagrass. In Latin America it is found in Cuba, Mexico, Haiti, the Dominican Republic and Brazil, among other countries.
Habitat: Sand with coral rubble or seagrass, near patch reefs, 10 to 50 m.
coast
rules for the eyed flounder
Summary of the regulations we found, with the source for each. Rules change; before keeping or transporting fish, check with the state environmental agency.
Conservation: Not on the Brazilian national list (Ministerial Ordinance GM/MMA No. 1.667/2026).
We found no species-specific rule beyond the region's general rules.
catch and release
catch and release Releasing the fish alive, quickly and with a wet hand. During a closed season it isn't always allowed: what the regulation says applies.
It is not dangerous to anglers. It is a small bottom fish, so simply remove the hook carefully and release it.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.01122, b = 2.92; FishBase (relação peso-comprimento bayesiana, estimativa da própria espécie)). It's an average: a fat or lean fish can vary by 10% to 20%.
estimated weight
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sources and references
Essential profile: size, length-weight, depth, countries and conservation come from FishBase and the cited regulations, and the texts were written from those sources. Season, time of day, sensitivities, technique and baits and lures are not included yet, because we did not find a good source for this species.
- scientific FishBase: Bothus ocellatus (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Bothus ocellatusNames by country and language.
- official Portaria GM/MMA nº 1.667, de 27 de abril de 2026: Lista Nacional Oficial de Espécies da Fauna Ameaçadas de Extinção (peixes e invertebrados aquáticos)The species is not on the list. Checked in the DOU of April 28, 2026.
