Skyward vision in flatfish (Video)

Video credit: Patricia Martin Cabrera (United Arab Emirates)

Review: Abdel Rahman El Gamal (Founder of the video channel)

Flatfish are characterized by their asymmetrical body shape with both eyes lying on the same side of the head in the adult fish. It may be of interest to know that fishes in this group begin their lives as normal swimming fish with eyes located on both sides like all other fish. Through its development and as the flatfish begin to change and start moving to the seafloor where they spend the rest of their lives, one of the animal’s eyes migrates to the other side ending by having both eyes located on one side of their heads. This could be on the left side or the right one. The flatfishes include flounders, soles, turbot, plaice, and halibut.

Because flatfishes are limited to the seafloor, and in order to avoid possible predation, they are known for their smart and exceptionally quick camouflaging which makes them hard to spot. In the attached video, one watch group of fish with different colors and shapes affiliated to some species. However, if you look carefully at the bottom, you can spot two individuals of flatfish which are perfectly camouflaged and looking skyward.

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