Species learning profile
Starry flounder
Platichthys stellatus
Starry flounder (Platichthys stellatus) is a brackish fish associated with estuary habitat in North Pacific. Rough star-shaped scales and alternating fin bars make it distinctive.
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At a glance
- المياه
- مياه شروب
- Habitat
- مصب
- أقصى طول
- 91 cm
- النطاق
- North Pacific
- الفصيلة
- Pleuronectidae
- الرتبة
- Pleuronectiformes
Observe
How to identify Starry flounder
- Rough star-shaped scales and alternating fin bars make it distinctive.
- Guide context: estuary habitat in North Pacific.
- Reported maximum length: 91 cm — up to about the length of a guitar. Maximum is not the same as typical adult size.
Field note: color, size, and markings can change with age, sex, season, depth, and lighting. Use several traits together.
Place and pattern
Where it lives—and how it behaves
Habitat and range
This species is associated with estuary habitat across North Pacific. Tides mix fresh and salt water here, and sheltered shallows often serve as productive nursery habitat.
Behavior
Moves freely between marine and fresh water
Food-web connections
What it eats and why it matters
Diet
Worms, crustaceans, and small fish.
Ecological role
Connects estuarine and river food webs.
Remember
One fact worth keeping
قد يصل طول Starry flounder إلى نحو 91 سم، ويوجد غالبًا قرب مصب.
Think like a conservationist
A conservation lens
Estuaries are vulnerable to shoreline loss, polluted runoff, dredging, and barriers between nursery and adult habitat.
This habitat lens is not a current population-status assessment. Status can differ among regions and change as new assessments are published; follow the reference links and local fisheries or wildlife agencies for current decisions.
Recall
Quick knowledge check
Which habitat is most closely associated with Starry flounder in this guide?
Keep exploring
References and further reading
Fishdle summarizes stable identification and ecology concepts in plain language. Taxonomy and population knowledge continue to change, so use primary assessments and regional authorities for conservation or management decisions.
Make connections