Paralichthys dentatus
Summer Flounder
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GNR
Collection Details
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Taxonomic Hierarchy
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned Fishes)
Pleuronectfiormes (Flatfishes)
Paralichthyidae (Sand Flounders)
Paralichthys
Paralichthys dentatus (Summer Flounder)
Description
This species account was compiled from
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Characters
Body shape: short and / or deep.
Distribution
Northwest Atlantic: Maine (rarely Nova Scotia, Canada) to southern Florida, USA.
Habitat Associations
Brackish, marine. demersal. depth range 10-183 m. Found in: estuaries, mangroves, marshes/swamps, seagrass beds.
Biology
Adults usually prefer hard sandy substrate where they can burrow; can exploit a broad range of lower and mid-estuary habitats including salt marsh creeks and seagrass beds, which usually have muddy or silty substrates , as well as sand flats (Ref. 26621). Occur in bays, lagoons and shallow coastal waters. Utilized fresh and frozen; can be steamed, fried, boiled, microwaved and baked (Ref. 9988). Exported fresh to Japan for sashimi.
Max length: 94.0 cm TL; max weight: 12000 g; max age: 9 years.
Reproductive mode: dioecism; fertilization: external; nonguarders (open water/substratum egg scatterers); parental care: none. Distinct pairing (Ref. 205).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC), assessed 2009-02-04. Resilience: Medium (K=0.77-0.84(?); assuming tm>=2; tmax=9).
Commercial or Environmental Importance
Fisheries: commercial; gamefish.
References
Breder, C.M. and D.E. Rosen (1966) Modes of reproduction in fishes. T.F.H. Publications, Neptune City, New Jersey. 941 p.
Scott, W.B. and M.G. Scott (1988) Atlantic fishes of Canada. Can. Bull. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 219:731 p.
Robins, C.R. and G.C. Ray (1986) A field guide to Atlantic coast fishes of North America. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, U.S.A. 354 p.
Langton, R.W. and R.E. Bowman (1981) Food of eight Northwest Atlantic Pleuronectiform Fishes. NOAA Technical Report NMFS SSRF-749, U.S. Department of Commerce.
Able, K.W. and S.C. Kaiser (1994) Synthesis of summer flounder habitat parameters. NOAA Coastal Ocean Program Decision Analysis Ser. 1. NOAA Coastal Ocean Office, Silver Spring. 68 pp.
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