Panamic Flounder, Southern Flounder
Lenguado Panámico, Lenguado Sureño
(Cyclopsetta panamensis)

Panamic Flounder, Cyclopsetta panamensis: The Panamic Founder has a uniform light chocolate brown appearance that is covered with a series of dark brown blotches and small round pale dots randomly spaced over the body.

The Panamic Founder has a rounded head and a small short rounded caudal fin with a wide base. The body is 2.2 to 2.3 times longer than it is wide. It has large black spots in the rear portion of the anal, caudal and dorsal fin and a white triangularly shaped area just before the tail base (as pictured below).

This fish species reaches a maximum size of just under 1 foot in length and is found in the first 300 feet of the water column over sandy and muddy soft bottoms. It is an opportunistic ambush predator lying in wait, well camouflaged, half-submerged on the ocean floor.

The Panamic Founder can be easily confused with the Toothed Flounder, Cyclopsetta querna (anal, caudal, and dorsal spots are less prominent; no white triangular area at the base of the tail).

Distribution in Mexico fishing areas

In Mexican fishing waters the Panamic Flounder is found south of Magdalena Bay on the Pacific coast of Baja California, throughout the Sea of Cortez, and along the coastal Mexican mainland south to Guatemala. It appears to be absent from around Mexico's oceanic islands.

This species has rough scales on the eye side and the Toothed Flounder has smooth scales on both sides.  Both are from the same family and this is about the only way you can tell the two apart.

The Panamic Flounder is a member of the Paralichthyidae Family which includes the sand flounders and sand dabs which are known in Mexican fishing areas as lenguado areneros.

Panamic Flounder fish picture 1

Panamic Flounder fish picture 2

Panamic Flounder, Cyclopsetta panamensis: Caught during a fishing trip with Capt. Pata in the panga Salomé, in 73-degree, 150-foot deep water, in March 2007, utilizing traditional bottom gear, 25 miles north of La Playita, San Jose del Cabo, Baja California Sur, Mexico. Size approximately 12 inches and 1 pound and a non-fighter. Description and photos courtesy of John Snow.

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