Benthic
Living on or in the bottom of the sea, a lake or a river, as flatfish, rays, gobies and many catfish do.
Also: benthos, bottom-dwelling
Benthic fish spend most of their time resting on or burrowing into the bottom. Many are flattened, like rays, sole and anglerfish, or have sucker-like fins, like gobies. They often have eyes on top of the head and mouths pointing down, and many use barbels to feel for food in mud. Benthic habitats range from coral rubble and sea grass in shallow water to the mud plains of the abyss. Bottom trawling, which drags gear over the sea floor, catches benthic fish and can damage their habitat.