Maculated Flounder
Maculated Flounder stalking a Flame Box Crab
The Maculated Flounder often follows Flame Box Crabs to feed on small animals disturbed while the crab digs. This allows the flounder to find food without searching the sand itself.
| Name: | Maculated Flounder |
| Scientific Name: | Bothus maculiferus |
| Family: | Lefteye Flounders |
| Taxonomic: | Bothidae |
| ID Group: | Bottom Dwellers |
| Size: | 5 - 8 in. |
| Depth Range: | In shallow waters (0 – 15 ft.) |
| Sightings: | Seen often |
This Flounder has a flat body with pale blue rings and spots, a blotch in the middle of the body, and a smooth, rounded head. The dorsal fin begins just above the upper lip.
The Maculated Flounder is also called the Mottled Flounder and lives on sandy or seagrass bottoms. It stays motionless on the seafloor, but moves away when disturbed.