A
flatfish is a member of the
order Pleuronectiformes of
ray-finned demersal fishes, also called the Heterosomata, sometimes classified as a suborder of
Perciformes. In many species, both eyes lie on one side of the head, one or the other migrating through and around the head during development. Some species face their left sides upward, some face their right sides upward, and others face either side upward.