Species and Habitat Outlines

Starry Flounder
TAXONOMY

Phylum: Chordata
Class: Osteichthyes
Order: Pleuronectiformes
Family: Pleuronectidae

 

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.

 

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.

 

For more information on starry flounder habitat utilization and life cycles - click here

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