Fascinating Flatfish in the Mariana Deep-Sea

This fascinating-looking deep-sea creature is a flatfish. A type of ray-finned fish, flatfish are named after their unique body plan, lying on one side and appearing rather flat against the seafloor. Our Corps of Exploration came across this individual while diving ROV Little Hercules along the caldera floor 332 meters (1089 feet) deep of active underwater volcano Ruby Seamount northwest of Saipan in the Mariana Islands.  

Few vertebrates exhibit this lack of symmetry. This fish was preliminarily identified as a leopard flounder (Bothus pantherinus) partially because of its "left-eyed" body plan, where its right eye migrated through to the other side during the juvenile's metamorphosis. Flatfish are also categorized as both demersal (due to their close seabed habitation) and cryptic (because of their camouflage coloring). Leopard flounders' dull, spotted coloring helps them blend in with the rocky seafloor. 

Ocean Exploration Trust's Deep-Sea Habitats in the Mariana Islands I & II (NA179 & NA180) expeditions are primarily supported by NOAA Ocean Exploration via the Ocean Exploration Cooperative Institute, with additional support from the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management for AUV Sentry’s participation.