Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes) >
Pleuronectiformes (Flatfishes) >
Paralichthyidae (Large-tooth flounders)
Etymology: Paralichthys: Greek, para = the side of + Greek, ichthys = fish + Greek, suffix, oides = similar to (Ref. 45335). More on author: Linnaeus.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; brackish; demersal; oceanodromous; depth range 10 - 183 m (Ref. 5951), usually ? - 37 m (Ref. 5951). Temperate; 45°N - 25°N, 81°W - 57°W
Northwest Atlantic: Maine (rarely Nova Scotia, Canada) to southern Florida, USA.
Length at first maturity / Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm 28.0  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 94.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 7251); max. published weight: 12.0 kg (Ref. 7251); max. reported age: 9 years (Ref. 52684)
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.
Distinct pairing (Ref. 205).
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. (Ref. 7251)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 123251)
CITES (Ref. 118484)
Not Evaluated
Human uses
Fisheries: commercial; gamefish: yes
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Estimates based on models
Preferred temperature (Ref.
115969): 9.1 - 24.4, mean 19.1 °C (based on 12 cells).
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82805): PD
50 = 0.5000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.01000 (0.00601 - 0.01665), b=3.17 (3.03 - 3.31), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this species & Genus-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 4.5 ±0.3 se; based on diet studies.
Generation time: 5.1 ( na - na) years. Estimated as median ln(3)/K based on 1
growth studies.
Resilience (Ref.
120179): Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (K=0.77-0.84(?); assuming tm>=2; tmax=9).
Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Moderate to high vulnerability (47 of 100) .