Winter flounder

Winter flounder
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Pleuronectiformes
Family: Pleuronectidae
Genus: Pseudopleuronectes
Species:
P. americanus
Binomial name
Pseudopleuronectes americanus
(Walbaum, 1792)
Synonyms[2]
  • Pleuronectes americanus Walbaum, 1792
  • Pleuronectes planus Mitchill, 1814
  • Platessa pusilla De Kay, 1842
  • Pseudopleuronectes dignabilis Kendall, 1912

The winter flounder (Pseudopleuronectes americanus), also known as the black back, is a right-eyed ("dextral") flatfish of the family Pleuronectidae. It is native to coastal waters of the western north Atlantic coast, from Labrador, Canada to Georgia, United States, although it is less common south of Delaware Bay.[2][3] It is the most common near-shore (shallow-water) flounder in the waters from Newfoundland down through Massachusetts Bay, reaching a maximum size around 61 cm in length and 2.25 kg in weight. The species grows larger on Georges Bank, where they can reach a length of 70 cm and weight of 3.6 kg.[3] Although winter flounder historically supported large commercial and recreational fisheries, biomass and landings have decreased since the 1980s.[4]

  1. ^ Munroe, T.A.; Cadrin, S.; Siskey, M. (2024) [errata version of 2022 assessment]. "Pseudopleuronectes americanus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2022: e.T190165A254462745. Retrieved 3 August 2024.
  2. ^ a b Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Pseudopleuronectes americanus". FishBase. February 2018 version.
  3. ^ a b Northeast Fisheries Science Center (2011). "52nd Northeast Regional Stock Assessment Workshop (52nd SAW) Assessment Report". US Dept Commer, Northeast Fish Sci Cent Ref Doc. 11-17: 962.
  4. ^ "Winter Flounder". ASMFC. Retrieved 10 October 2015.