ECOLOGICAL DATA
Distribution: common along B.C. coast, mainly shallow
inshore; juveniles often found in estuaries and in lower reaches of rivers.
Habitat: shallow (less than 100 m) inshore water over sand and silt bottoms;
juveniles rear in sandy areas and gently sloping tidal flats and often associated with
eelgrass beds; may occur in lower freshwater reaches of larger rivers; spawn in Feb-Mar in
depths less than 50 m; eggs float at surface; planktonic larvae are 2 mm at hatching and
dispersed by currents; adults usually remain in one area and do not undergo extensive
migrations.
Tidal elevation: intertidal to 250 m subtidal depth; adults usually in inshore
water less than 100 m deep; juveniles occur intertidally in sandy areas and tidal flats,
and in rivers.
Food: benthic carnivore; larvae feed on copepods and nauplii, barnacle larvae
and cladocerans; adults prey on nemerteans and priapulids, polychaetes and clams.
Predators: water birds and bottom fish.
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GROWTH RATE
Maximum size is 91 cm and 9.1 kg; males mature at 300 mm (2
yr), and females at 350 mm (3 yr).
FISHERY
Small component of
commercial fishery; support small sport fishery.
REFERENCES
Hart, J.L. 1973. Pacific fishes of Canada. Fish. Res. Board
Can. Bull. 180: 631-633.
Lamb, A., and P. Edgell. 1986. Coastal fishes of the Pacific Northwest. Harbour
Publishing, Madeira Park, B.C.: 204.
Manzer, J.I. 1952. Notes on dispersion and growth of some British Columbia bottom
fishes. J. Fish. Res. Board Can. 8: 374-377.
Miller, B.S. 1967. Stomach contents of adult starry flounder and sand sole in East
Sound, Orcas Island, Washington. J. Fish. Res. Board Can. 24: 2515-2526.
Orcutt, H.G. 1950. The life history of the starry flounder Platichthys stellatus
(Pallas). Calif. Div. Fish Game Fish. Bull. 78: 64 p.
Policansky, D. 1982. Influence of age, size, and temperature on metamorphosis in the
starry flounder, Platichthys stellatus. Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 39: 514-517.
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