259: BOTHIDAE (LEFfEYE FLOUNDERS)
D 96-104; A 74-81; P 10-13 on eyed side, 10-13 on blind side; GR
0+(9-11); LL 76-90. Depth \.7-2.0, head 3.2-3.8 in SL. Front margin of
upper eye over rear margin of lower eye in specimens greater than ca. 13
em SL. Scales on eyed side ctenoid. Sexual dimorphism develops at about
23 cm SL when males also have tentacles on eyes, elongated P of eyed
side, wider interorbital region, and rostral and orbital spines.
Eyed side with many large light coloured spots with dark
margins and numerous scattered small dark spots; usually 3
distinct dark blotches or spots on LL, 1 just posterior to
junction of curved and straight sections, 1 near middle of
straight section, and 1 near rear end of LL; D and A with
longitudinal row of widely-spaced dark spots; P of eyed side
with dark crossbars (M.M. Smith: "In life spots are in pastel
shades of blue, yellow and pink - a beautiful creature.").
Attains 42 cm. Widely distributed from Durban to Hawaii
and Easter Id.; also reported from Mexico; juveniles and
larvae possibly reach south to East London. In shallow
water on sandy bottoms or flat reef areas.
259.3 Bothus maneus: top: 39 em SL male (Mozambique); bottom: 18 em SL
female (Natal); head of 14 em SL female (Natal).
Disc flounder
259.4 Bothus myriaster
(Temminck & Schlegel, 1846)
Diskus-botvis
Rhomblls myriaster Temminck & Schlegel, 1846: 181, PI. 92, Fig. 2
(Japan) . Bothus myriaster: Norman, 1934: 236* ; Smith, SFSA No. 316*.
Bothus ovalis: Norman, 1934: 238*. ? Bothus pantherinus (non Riippell):
Nielsen, 1961: 219.
D 87-97; A 61-73; P 8-10 on eyed side, 7-10 on blind side; GR 0-5
(rudimentary)+(5-8). Relative body depth and head length reduced with
growth: in specimens over 10 cm SL, depth 1.4-2.0, head 3.7-4.5 in SL.
Males> 8 em SL with eyed-side P elongated, wider interorbital, spines on
snout, orbits and at symphysis of lower jaw, and flap-like appendages on
856
eyes. Larvae show right-eye migration at ca . 30 mm SL, and remain
pelagic until 35-40 mm SL; larvae and juveniles remain nearly circular in
body shape until ca. 85 mm SL.
Eyed side brown with many dark brown spots; a dark
brown blotch above junction of straight and curved sections
of LL and another on middle of straight section ofLL; distal
margin of C blackish; P of eyed side with faint crossbars.
Blind side yellowish white on anterior half, darker posteriorly with several dark transverse bars (transverse bars
faint or missing in females and juveniles). Attains 27 cm.
Extent of range in southern Africa is unknown as most
records were based on larvae and small juveniles of questionable identification; definitely known from Inhambane;
juveniles and larvae possibly occur south to Cape St. Blaize.
Southeast Africa to Taiwan and Japan in 10 - 155 m.
259.4 Bothus myriaster: 9.5 em type of Platophrys ovalis (after Regan, 1908).
259.5 Bothus pantherinus
(ROppell, 1830)
Leopard flounder
Luiperd-botvis
Rhombus pantherinus Riippell, 1830: 121, PI. 31, Fig. 1 (Red Sea).
Bothus pantherinus: Norman, 1934: 233*; Smith, SFSA No. 317*; Winterbottom, 1976: 69.
D 84-97; A 61-73; P 9-12 on eyed side, 9-11 on blind side; GR 0-7
(rudimentary)+(6-8); LL 74-87 (67-92 reported in literature). Depth
1.6-1.9, head 3.3-3.9 in SL. Front margin of upper eye over middle to pos259.5 Bothus pantherinus: 15 em SL male (Natal).
D 96-104; A 74-81; P 10-13 on eyed side, 10-13 on blind side; GR
0+(9-11); LL 76-90. Depth \.7-2.0, head 3.2-3.8 in SL. Front margin of
upper eye over rear margin of lower eye in specimens greater than ca. 13
em SL. Scales on eyed side ctenoid. Sexual dimorphism develops at about
23 cm SL when males also have tentacles on eyes, elongated P of eyed
side, wider interorbital region, and rostral and orbital spines.
Eyed side with many large light coloured spots with dark
margins and numerous scattered small dark spots; usually 3
distinct dark blotches or spots on LL, 1 just posterior to
junction of curved and straight sections, 1 near middle of
straight section, and 1 near rear end of LL; D and A with
longitudinal row of widely-spaced dark spots; P of eyed side
with dark crossbars (M.M. Smith: "In life spots are in pastel
shades of blue, yellow and pink - a beautiful creature.").
Attains 42 cm. Widely distributed from Durban to Hawaii
and Easter Id.; also reported from Mexico; juveniles and
larvae possibly reach south to East London. In shallow
water on sandy bottoms or flat reef areas.
259.3 Bothus maneus: top: 39 em SL male (Mozambique); bottom: 18 em SL
female (Natal); head of 14 em SL female (Natal).
Disc flounder
259.4 Bothus myriaster
(Temminck & Schlegel, 1846)
Diskus-botvis
Rhomblls myriaster Temminck & Schlegel, 1846: 181, PI. 92, Fig. 2
(Japan) . Bothus myriaster: Norman, 1934: 236* ; Smith, SFSA No. 316*.
Bothus ovalis: Norman, 1934: 238*. ? Bothus pantherinus (non Riippell):
Nielsen, 1961: 219.
D 87-97; A 61-73; P 8-10 on eyed side, 7-10 on blind side; GR 0-5
(rudimentary)+(5-8). Relative body depth and head length reduced with
growth: in specimens over 10 cm SL, depth 1.4-2.0, head 3.7-4.5 in SL.
Males> 8 em SL with eyed-side P elongated, wider interorbital, spines on
snout, orbits and at symphysis of lower jaw, and flap-like appendages on
856
eyes. Larvae show right-eye migration at ca . 30 mm SL, and remain
pelagic until 35-40 mm SL; larvae and juveniles remain nearly circular in
body shape until ca. 85 mm SL.
Eyed side brown with many dark brown spots; a dark
brown blotch above junction of straight and curved sections
of LL and another on middle of straight section ofLL; distal
margin of C blackish; P of eyed side with faint crossbars.
Blind side yellowish white on anterior half, darker posteriorly with several dark transverse bars (transverse bars
faint or missing in females and juveniles). Attains 27 cm.
Extent of range in southern Africa is unknown as most
records were based on larvae and small juveniles of questionable identification; definitely known from Inhambane;
juveniles and larvae possibly occur south to Cape St. Blaize.
Southeast Africa to Taiwan and Japan in 10 - 155 m.
259.4 Bothus myriaster: 9.5 em type of Platophrys ovalis (after Regan, 1908).
259.5 Bothus pantherinus
(ROppell, 1830)
Leopard flounder
Luiperd-botvis
Rhombus pantherinus Riippell, 1830: 121, PI. 31, Fig. 1 (Red Sea).
Bothus pantherinus: Norman, 1934: 233*; Smith, SFSA No. 317*; Winterbottom, 1976: 69.
D 84-97; A 61-73; P 9-12 on eyed side, 9-11 on blind side; GR 0-7
(rudimentary)+(6-8); LL 74-87 (67-92 reported in literature). Depth
1.6-1.9, head 3.3-3.9 in SL. Front margin of upper eye over middle to pos259.5 Bothus pantherinus: 15 em SL male (Natal).