Flounder is a generalized term for any number of flattened fish species belonging to the families Pleuronectidae, Paralichthyidae, Achiropsettidae, and Bothidae. This unusually shaped fish looks like a flattened oval with the dorsal and anal fins running along the entire length of the body. One of the flounder’s most unusual characteristics is that after just a few days of life, one of its eyes begins to migrate to the opposite side of its head to what eventually becomes the fish’s top side.

Upon migration of the eye, the flounder adapts with a series of structural changes, eventually become a benthic fish species that spends its life swimming along the bottom of the sea. Flounder is a popular fish for eating, and those living near coral reefs can have beautiful coloration. They can also quickly change their color to camouflage with the surrounding substrate. To see where you can go diving with flounder, explore the dive site map below.