#flatfishfriday

[mbari-blog]

We're officially making Flatfish Fridays a thing. Spread the news. 🗞️🐟️⁠

Larval flatfish live in open water far above the seafloor. Like a typical fish, they have eyes on either side of their heads. But as flatfish develop into juveniles, one eye migrates over to join the other, and they settle onto their sides on the ocean floor. ⁠ ⁠ Adult flatfishes spend most of their time lying on their sides, camouflaged against the muddy seafloor or buried in the sand. When it’s time to find a meal or to escape an unwelcome predator, they swiftly push off the bottom and swim into the water above. They gracefully undulate their flattened bodies to swim, employing elongated fins for extra propulsion.

[samoceanwarrior]

#FlatFishFriday Manta ray with a whole lot of kobias which look similar to sharks but they aren't. Manta rays are an endangered species #scubadiving #underwaterphotography by #DanielSasse #wildlife #marinelife #followfriday #ff #mantaray https://www.instagram.com/p/CTFDcdPBayW/?utm_medium=tumblr

[mbari-blog]

Oh, hey, Flatfish Friday 😉⁠

The deep-sea sole (Microstomus bathybius) is a flatfish species typically found in the North Pacific from 500 to 950 meters (1,640 to 3,120 feet) deep. They can grow up to 47 centimeters (18.5 inches) long. Flatfishes spend most of their time lying on their sides, camouflaged against the muddy seafloor or buried in the sand.⁠ ⁠ Observing and documenting deep-sea biodiversity is increasingly critical. Overfishing, pollution, and climate change all threaten the deep ocean. We urgently need to establish a baseline to monitor ongoing human impacts on this environment. Unraveling the secrets of these smooth side swimmers—and other life in the deep—takes us one step closer to making this possible.

[sharkgeeks-blog]

#Repost @mantatrust with @repostapp ・・・ What a stunner! #flatfishfriday #shark #ray #sharkweek