There's no better time to highlight our August Fish of the Month, the Summer Flounder, Paralichthys dentatus!
Survey Regions: The Summer Flounder is found on the east coast of North America, from Florida to Canada. This includes three REEF survey regions: Northeast US and Canada (NE), South Atlantic States (SAS), and Tropical Western Atlantic (TWA). You can view the database reports for this species here: NE Region, SAS Region, and TWA Region
Size: Males can grow up to 2 feet, and females can reach up to 3 feet!
Identifying Features: Summer Flounders have flat, brown to gray bodies, usually with five ocellated spots on their back that are arranged in an x-shaped pattern. They are able to change their coloring to blend in with the color and texture of their surroundings.
Fun Facts: After hatching from an egg, the Summer Flounder resemble other fishes, with an eye on each side of their head. As they mature, the fish's right eye slowly migrates to the left side of its head. They spend most of their adult lives lying on the seafloor, with both eyes on the same side of their body. The Summer Flounder gets its name from its tendency to migrate into nearshore waters during the spring and summer. In colder months, they move into offshore waters. There is a large commercial fishery for the Summer Flounder, but they are not overfished and are not considered threatened or endangered.
Thanks for reading, and stay tuned for our next Fish of the Month.
Photo by Herb Segars.