Sand Dab

Range: Gulf Coast of the United States to northern South America
Habitat: Coastal waters, estuaries, lagoons, fresh inland waters
Conservation Status: Not listed by IUCN
Scientific Name: Achirus lineatus

You'd have a hard time spotting sand dabs on the bottom of a river or bay: they've taken camouflage to a fine art.

As adults, these fish bury themselves in the sand, with only their eyes and mouth exposed. They can also change their color to match their surroundings. In fact, when placed on a checkerboard, sand dabs can reproduce the color of the squares!

But this isn't the end of their talents. As hatchlings, young sand dabs are bilaterally symmetrical, with one eye on each side of the head. Soon however, a profound change occurs. One eye migrates across the head to lie alongside the other. While this radical transformation is taking place, the little fish sinks to the bottom where it spends most of its adult life resting, eyes up, hidden from predators.

Sand dabs are flatfish -- the relatives of flounders, sole, plaice, and turbot. All flatfish are carnivores. They eat mollusks, worms, and crustaceans.