Species profiles: Life histories and environmental requirements of coastal fishes and invertebrates (South Florida): Southern, gulf, and summer flounders. [Paralichthys lethostigma; Paralichthys albigutta; Paralichthys dentatus]
The southern, gulf, and summer flounders live most of their lives in or near estuaries. Adults migrate into offshore waters during fall and winter, where spawning occurs from September to April. Eggs and newly-hatched larvae are carried inshore into estuaries, where further growth takes place. Age at sexual maturity for the three species has been estimated from 2 to 4 years, and maximum longevity from 3 to 10 years. Females apparently live slightly longer than males. Southern and summer flounders are estimated to live slightly longer than the smaller gulf flounder. Postlarvae eat mostly zooplankton, and larger individuals feed on fish and crustaceans. The summer and gulf flounders prefer a hard and/or sandy substrate, whereas the southern flounder is more common in a soft bottom of rich organic mud, clay, or silt. The southern flounder, unlike the other two species, is highly euryhaline, and frequently occurs in fresh water. Commercial catch statistics lump the three species together under the name ''flounder.'' Peak commercial catch in the Gulf of Mexico (in 1977) was 1.5 million lb, for a value of $561,000; peak catch in the south Atlantic region (also in 1977) was 11.4 million lb, for a value of $5,100,000.
- Research Organization:
- Florida State Museum, Gainesville (USA)
- OSTI ID:
- 7193777
- Report Number(s):
- TR-EL-82-4/82-11-54; ON: TI87900137
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
FISHES
ECOLOGY
ATLANTIC OCEAN
COASTAL WATERS
ESTUARIES
FISHING INDUSTRY
FLORIDA
GULF OF MEXICO
HABITAT
MIGRATION
POPULATION DYNAMICS
REPRODUCTION
TAXONOMY
ANIMALS
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
BIOLOGY
CARIBBEAN SEA
FEDERAL REGION IV
INDUSTRY
NORTH AMERICA
SEAS
SURFACE WATERS
USA
VERTEBRATES
520100* - Environment
Aquatic- Basic Studies- (-1989)