Species learning profile

Winter flounder

Pseudopleuronectes americanus

Winter flounder (Pseudopleuronectes americanus) is a saltwater fish associated with demersal habitat in Atlantic. Unlike summer flounder, its eyes usually sit on the right side.

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قاع البحرPleuronectidae

At a glance

المياه
مياه مالحة
Habitat
قاع البحر
أقصى طول
64 cm
النطاق
الأطلسي
الفصيلة
Pleuronectidae
الرتبة
Pleuronectiformes

Observe

How to identify Winter flounder

  • Unlike summer flounder, its eyes usually sit on the right side.
  • Guide context: demersal habitat in Atlantic.
  • Reported maximum length: 64 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 demersal habitat across Atlantic. It lives on or close to the bottom, where sediment, rock, depth, and bottom-dwelling prey matter most.

Behavior

Moves into shallow estuaries during cold months

Food-web connections

What it eats and why it matters

Diet

Worms, amphipods, and molluscs.

Ecological role

Feeds on bottom invertebrates in coastal nurseries.

Remember

One fact worth keeping

قد يصل طول Winter flounder إلى نحو 64 سم، ويوجد غالبًا قرب قاع البحر.

Think like a conservationist

A conservation lens

Bottom-associated fish can be affected by seafloor disturbance, bycatch, warming, and changes to benthic prey.

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 Winter 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.

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