Panther Flounder

Bothus pantherinus

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Pleuronectiformes
Family: Bothidae
Genus: Bothus
Species: Bothus pantherinus

The panther flounder (Bothus pantherinus) is a flat, left-eyed flounder with a pale body covered in dark rings and spots, which it can shift to match the sand. Its eyes sit on stalks on the left side of the head.

It grows to about 30-40 cm and lies partly buried on sand and rubble, ambushing small fish and crustaceans. Males have long pectoral fins that they raise as a flag during courtship and territorial displays.

The panther flounder ranges across the Indo-Pacific, including the Philippines, where it is a common sight on sandy slopes and muck sites, often only noticed when it moves.