These creatures have greatly flattened oval bodies. They start life as normal fishes with eyes on either side of the head. As they grow one eye actually migrates over the top of the head and joins the other on the opposite side. As this occurs, the fish starts leaning over and ends up flat on the sand blindside down. The underside is usually white while the upper side is speckled or mottled to match its substrate. The rest of its life is spent on or just a few feet off the sea bottom.

Peacock Flounder
(Bothus mancu))

This is the most common flatfish in Hawaii. It is pale to light brown, with spots and blue blotches. There are three unequal dark blotches in a row on the eye side with the one nearest the tail, the smallest. The males' eyes are further apart than those off the female. Moreover, his pectoral fin is greatly elongated.