Devido à escassez de estudos sobre larvas da ordem Pleuronectiformes principalmente no Brasil, o objetivo deste estudo foi descrever a ocorrência das larvas da ordem na plataforma continental Sudeste. As amostras foram coletadas com redes bongô e Multi Plankton Sampler (MPS) no verão e inverno de 2002. A composição, abundância, densidade, distribuição horizontal e vertical e, as fases de desenvolvimento larval foram estudadas. Foram coletadas, no total, 352 larvas de Pleuronectiformes no verão e 343 no inverno, com três famílias identificadas e 14 espécies. Os grupos mais abundantes foram Etropus spp., Syacium spp, Bothus ocellatus e Monolene antillarum. Etropus spp., Syacium spp. e M. antillarum ocorreram preferencialmente na zona intermediária até a isóbata de 200m, os dois primeiros gêneros próximos a cabo Frio e M. antillarum em Ubatuba. B. ocellatus ocorreu predominantemente na zona oceânica tanto em Ubatuba quanto no Rio de Janeiro. Em relação à distribuição vertical, as maiores densidades médias dessas espécies ocorreram nos estratos de 0 a 20 m de profundidade, no verão e entre 20 a 40m no inverno. Larvas em pré-flexão foram abundantes próximas à costa. As variáveis estipuladas, proximidade da costa, época do ano e local, e a salinidade apresentaram diferenças significativas com relação à distribuição observada. / There are few studies about Pleuronectiformes larvae mostly in Brazil. Due to that, this study aims to describe the occurrence of Pleuronectiformes larvae in the southeastern Brazilian coast. Samples were collected using bongo and Multi Plankton Sampler (MPS) nets in the summer and winter of 2002. Composition, abundance, density, horizontal and vertical distributions and stage of larval development were studied. A total of 352 larvae in summer and 343 in winter were collected. Three families and 14 species were identified. The most abundant species were Etropus spp., Syacium spp., Bothus ocellatus and Monolene antillarum. Etropus spp., Syacium spp. and M. antillarum occurred preferentially in the intermediate zone until the 200m isobath. The first two genera occurred near Cape Frio and the last one near Ubatuba. B. ocellatus occurred predominantly in the oceanic zone in Ubatuba and Rio de Janeiro. Regarding to the vertical distribution, the highest average densities of these species were in the strata of 0 - 20 m of depth in summer and between 20 - 40 m in winter. Pre-flexion larvae were abundant near the coast. The stipulated variables: proximity to the coast, season, location and salinity, showed significant differences in relation to the larval distribution observed.

Devido à escassez de estudos sobre larvas da ordem Pleuronectiformes principalmente no Brasil, o objetivo deste estudo foi descrever a ocorrência das larvas da ordem na plataforma continental Sudeste. As amostras foram coletadas com redes bongô e Multi Plankton Sampler (MPS) no verão e inverno de 2002. A composição, abundância, densidade, distribuição horizontal e vertical e, as fases de desenvolvimento larval foram estudadas. Foram coletadas, no total, 352 larvas de Pleuronectiformes no verão e 343 no inverno, com três famílias identificadas e 14 espécies. Os grupos mais abundantes foram Etropus spp., Syacium spp, Bothus ocellatus e Monolene antillarum. Etropus spp., Syacium spp. e M. antillarum ocorreram preferencialmente na zona intermediária até a isóbata de 200m, os dois primeiros gêneros próximos a cabo Frio e M. antillarum em Ubatuba. B. ocellatus ocorreu predominantemente na zona oceânica tanto em Ubatuba quanto no Rio de Janeiro. Em relação à distribuição vertical, as maiores densidades médias dessas espécies ocorreram nos estratos de 0 a 20 m de profundidade, no verão e entre 20 a 40m no inverno. Larvas em pré-flexão foram abundantes próximas à costa. As variáveis estipuladas, proximidade da costa, época do ano e local, e a salinidade apresentaram diferenças significativas com relação à distribuição observada. / There are few studies about Pleuronectiformes larvae mostly in Brazil. Due to that, this study aims to describe the occurrence of Pleuronectiformes larvae in the southeastern Brazilian coast. Samples were collected using bongo and Multi Plankton Sampler (MPS) nets in the summer and winter of 2002. Composition, abundance, density, horizontal and vertical distributions and stage of larval development were studied. A total of 352 larvae in summer and 343 in winter were collected. Three families and 14 species were identified. The most abundant species were Etropus spp., Syacium spp., Bothus ocellatus and Monolene antillarum. Etropus spp., Syacium spp. and M. antillarum occurred preferentially in the intermediate zone until the 200m isobath. The first two genera occurred near Cape Frio and the last one near Ubatuba. B. ocellatus occurred predominantly in the oceanic zone in Ubatuba and Rio de Janeiro. Regarding to the vertical distribution, the highest average densities of these species were in the strata of 0 - 20 m of depth in summer and between 20 - 40 m in winter. Pre-flexion larvae were abundant near the coast. The stipulated variables: proximity to the coast, season, location and salinity, showed significant differences in relation to the larval distribution observed.

The taxonomic status of its 59 nominal species of the genus Bothus (Pleuronectiformes: Bothidae) has been revised, based on a morphological study of 320 type and non-type specimens. Of the 59 nominal species examined in the study, 18 have found to be valid and are re-described. The genus Bothus (pro parte) is considered natural on the basis of two characters previously identified by Hoshino and Amaoka (2006): a ventral expansion of the haemapophyses of the precaudal vertebrae and the bony expansion of the haemal spine of the first caudal vertebrae. These characters were observed in all accepted species of Bothus, excluding B. swio. The morphology of B. swio overlaps with other bothid genera, but its generic placement was not analysed. Engyrprosopon and Crossorhombus are hypothesized as outgroups of Bothus based on the character state identified by Hoshino and Amaoka (2006), an anterior extension of the sciatic part of the urohyal past the main part of the urohyal. A phylogenetic analysis of the Bothidae is needed to substantiate this hypothesis of relationship, to validate the monophyly of Bothus and to resolve the generic position of B. swio. The geographic distribution of each species is mapped and an up-to-date species identification key has been created. The 18 valid species are as follows, with their synonym species in parenthesis: Bothus assimilis, Bothus constellatus, Bothus ellipticus, Bothus guibei (Rhombus heterophthalmus), Bothus leopardinus, Bothus lunatus, Bothus maculiferus, Bothus mancus (Pleuronectes barfi, Rhombus macropterus), Bothus mellissi, Bothus myriaster (Citharicthys aureus), Bothus ocellatus (Platophrys nebularis, Rhomboidichtys spinosus, Rhombus bahianus), Bothus pantherinus, Bothus podas (Bothus rumolo, Bothus tappa, Rhombus gesneri), Bothus robinsi, Bothus swio, Bothus thompsoni, Bothus tricirrhitus, and Bothus ypsigrammus.