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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. 125652)
Human uses
Fisheries: commercial; gamefish: yes
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Estimates based on models
Preferred temperature (Ref.
123201): 9.1 - 24.4, mean 19.1 °C (based on 12 cells).
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00977 (0.00587 - 0.01627), 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).
Prior r = 0.86, 95% CL = 0.57 - 1.30, Based on 1 stock assessment.
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Moderate to high vulnerability (47 of 100).
Climate Vulnerability (Ref.
125649): Moderate to high vulnerability (51 of 100).
Nutrients (Ref.
124155): Calcium = 29.1 [12.9, 67.3] mg/100g ; Iron = 0.326 [0.174, 0.672] mg/100g ; Protein = 15.4 [12.8, 18.5] % ; Omega3 = 0.834 [0.343, 2.032] g/100g ; Selenium = 20.9 [6.5, 55.4] μg/100g ; VitaminA = 14.9 [3.3, 73.8] μg/100g ; Zinc = 0.396 [0.244, 0.653] mg/100g (wet weight);