European flounder
| Platichthys flesus (Linnaeus, 1758) | ||||
| Family: | Pleuronectidae (Righteye flounders) |
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| Order: | Pleuronectiformes | |||
| Class: | Teleostei | |||
| English name: | European flounder | |||
| Distribution: | Eastern Atlantic: coastal and brackish waters of western Europe and from the White Sea to the Mediterranean and the Black Sea (Ref. 4705, Ref. 51442). Introduced into the USA and Canada accidentally through transport in ballast water (Ref. 1739). Asia: Iran (Ref. 39702). | |||
| Adult biology: | Migratory fish, which is most of the year found in estuaries (Ref. 51442). Adults occur on mud and sand bottom in shallow water, at sea and brackish; often entering freshwaters (Ref. 59043). During winter, adults retreat to deeper, warmer waters, where they spawn in spring (Ref. 30193). The growing larvae are moving to the coast (Ref. 51442). Larvae and early juveniles use selective tidal transport to migrate upstream rivers (Ref. 57575) using a range of triggers such as salinity, prey density and water temperature (Ref. 57573, 57574). Juveniles live in shallow coastal waters and estuaries (Ref. 57574), which are also the summer feeding grounds for the adults (Ref. 30193). Juveniles of less than a year old feed on plankton and larvae of insects, juveniles of more than a year and adults feed on benthic fauna (Ref. 51442), including small fishes and invertebrates (Ref. 30193). Nocturnal and burrowing (Ref. 30193). Marketed fresh and frozen; can be steamed, fried, boiled, microwaved and baked (Ref. 9988). Worms and mollusks are excellent baits for line fishing (Ref. 30578). | |||
| Diagnosis: | There are a number of scattered melanophores concentrated along the ventral sides of the body. . See also LARVAE table. | |||
| Climate Zone: | temperate; 5 - 25°C; 72°N - 30°N | |||
| Main Ref: | Russell, F.S.. 1976. (Ref. 37) | |||
| More information: | Collaborators | Common names | Countries | Diet composition larvae | Egg dev. | Eggs | FAO areas | Fry Nursery System | Genetics | Introductions | Larvae | Larval Nursery System | Maturity | Pictures | Predators | References | Reproduction | Spawning | Fecundity | Synonyms | | |||
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| Checked by: Giovanardi, Otello |
Modified by: Froese, Rainer |
Entered by: Papasissi, Christine |
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