Marine; demersal; depth range 1 - 100 m , usually 20 - 50 m . Tropical; 26°N - 21°S, 43°E - 156°E

Maturity: Lm 38.0, range 37 - 39 cm Max length : 64.0 cm TL male/unsexed; ; common length : 50.0 cm TL male/unsexed; ; max. published weight: 9.0 kg

Dorsal spines (total): 9 - 11; Dorsal soft rays (total): 38 - 45; Anal spines: 1; Anal soft rays: 33 - 43; Vertebrae: 23 - 25. Body oval and flat, but thicker than in most other flatfishes. Mouth large with strong teeth; maxillary extends well beyond hind edge of lower eye; both eyes on left or right side; upper eye lying immediately below dorsal edge; gill rakers not developed. Dorsal fin origin well posterior to eyes; anterior fin rays spinous; lateral line almost straight. Color usually brown or grey, sometimes with 4 broad, dark crossbars. Dorsal, anal and caudal fin tips black. Blind side occasionally partially colored. ( Other sources of morphological data: Refs. 591, 529, 4416, 5997 and 6000). Body shape (shape guide): fusiform / normal;  Cross section: flattened.