Scientific Name
Pseudopleuronectes americanus

Common Name
Winter flounder

Biology
Adults inhabit soft muddy to moderately hard bottoms (Ref. 5951). Feed predominantly in daytime on organisms living in, on or near the bottom; shrimps, amphipods, crabs, sea urchins and snails (Ref. 12232). Batch spawner (Ref. 51846).

Classification

Classified By

Walbaum, 1792

Class

Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)

Order

Flatfishes (Pleuronectiformes)

Family

Righteye flounders (Pleuronectidae)

Distribution

Region

Western Atlantic

Distribution

Western Atlantic: Labrador, Canada to Georgia, USA.

Range

55°N - 31°N

Environment

Climate

Temperate

Water Temperature From

Unknown °C

Water Temperature To

Unknown °C

Depth From - meters

5 m

Depth To - meters

143 m

Zone

demersal

Environment

Marine; demersal; oceanodromous (Ref. 51243); depth range 5 - 143 m (Ref. 5951)

Trophic Level

2.83 s.e. 0.36 Based on diet studies.

Occurs in Marine / Salt water

True

Occurs in Brackish water

False

Occurs in Fresh Water

False

Occurs on Reefs

False

Is kept in Aquariums

False

Physical Size and Genetics

Maximum Length

64.0 cm

Common Length

Unknown cm

Phylogenetic Diversity Index

PD50 = 0.5312 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)

Human Uses and Population

Human Uses

Fisheries: commercial; aquaculture: experimental; gamefish: yes

Vulnerability

Low to moderate vulnerability (34 of 100)

Resilience

Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (K=0.11-0.7(?); tm=2-3; tmax=10)

Threat To Humans

Harmless

IUCN Red List Status

Not Evaluated