Teleostei (teleosts) >
Pleuronectiformes (Flatfishes) >
Pleuronectidae (Righteye flounders) > Pleuronectinae
Etymology: Lepidopsetta: Greek, lepis = scale + Greek, psetta = grouper (Ref. 45335); bilineata: Specific name refers to the bifurcate supratemporal branch of the lateral line (bilineata = two-lined).
More on author: Ayres.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; demersal; depth range 0 - 575 m (Ref. 6793), usually 0 - 183 m (Ref. 6885). Temperate; 67°N - 34°N, 124°E - 119°W (Ref. 54562)
North Pacific: Baja California to the eastern Aleutian Islands and extreme southeastern Bering Sea.
Length at first maturity / Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm 34.7, range 31 - ? cm
Max length : 58.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 6885); 60.0 cm TL (female); max. published weight: 1.8 kg (Ref. 56370); max. reported age: 26 years (Ref. 55701)
Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 65 - 82; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 50 - 65; Vertebrae: 39 - 42. Dorsal origin over forward part of eye. Caudal with posterior margin a broad 'V'. Pectorals small and may be asymmetrical (Ref. 6885). Blind side white, with glossy highlights along myotome margins, increasing anteriorly. Pores: supraorbital 3-9; preopercular 5-7; lateral line 70-91. Interorbital space narrow (Ref. 37594).
Body shape (shape guide): short and / or deep.
Adults occur over sand and gravel substrates to depths of 339 m; larvae collected over depths less than 1,000 m (Ref. 37594). Feed on mollusks, polychaete worms, crustaceans, brittle stars, and fishes (Ref. 6885). A tasty food fish; in some years commercial catch in Canada reaches 3,000 t (Ref. 2850).
Vinnikov, K.A., R.C. Thomson and T.A. Munroe, 2018. Revised classification of the righteye flounders (Teleostei: Pleuronectidae) based on multilocus phylogeny with complete taxon sampling. Molecular phylogenetics and evolution, 125:147-162. (Ref. 122998)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2025-2)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: commercial
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