Starry flounder
📖 Overview
Found inshore, often in very shallow water and in estuaries during the summer; moving into deeper water in the winter . However, they may occur in deep water throughout the year . They do not venture into water of high salinities . Young and adults move up rivers, as much as 120 km . Benthic . They feed on crustaceans, worms, small mollusks, brittle stars, and small fishes . Important game fish . Utilized fresh and frozen; eaten steamed, fried, boiled, microwaved, and baked .
🔬 Taxonomy
🐟 Physical Description
Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 52 - 66; Anal spines: 1; Anal soft rays: 38 - 47; Vertebrae: 34 - 37. Distinguished by the presence of both eyes on the same side of the head, dorsal and anal fins that are marked with dark and light (white to orange) bars, and especially, by the stellate, bony tubercles scattered over its body . Dorsal originates over middle of upper eye; anal with a sharp, forward pointing spine (often buried in skin) before first ray; pectorals are bluntly pointed; caudal slightly rounded . Eyed side dark brown to nearly black, sometimes with indefinite blotchings (Alaskans specimens sometimes with a greenish tinge); blind side white to creamy; dorsal fin with 4 to 7 dark bars with white to orange spaces between; anal fin with 4 to 6 such bars; caudal fin with 3 or 4 dark longitudinal bars on its posterior part; in rare cases, the blind side may be partly or completely colored like the eyed side, or white may be present on the eyed side, creating a piebald effect .: short and / or deep.
🌀 Behaviour
Behavioural data for Starry flounder is currently being reviewed.
🦐 Diet
🥚 Reproduction
Onset of metamorphosis occurs at 10.5 mm. First settlement of young is in shallow silty-sandy substrates, usually in estuaries .
🌍 Habitat & Distribution
Marine; freshwater; brackish; demersal; catadromous ; depth range 0 - 375 m . Polar; 73°N - 33°N, 124°E - 119°W south through the Bering Sea to California.
🌿 Ecology
crustaceans, worms, small mollusks, brittle stars, and small fishes (Ref
📐 Morphometrics
🌡️ Water Parameters & Tolerance
🛡️ Conservation Assessment
📊 Population Risk & Fisheries
🎣 Angling Guide
- medium-heavy 7ft spinning rod
- 30-50 lb braid
- fluorocarbon leader
- grass flats
- oyster bars
- marsh drains
- deeper channel edges
Use barbless hooks, minimise air exposure, and revive fish head-first in current before release.
⚠️ Slot limits protect breeding-size fish. Verify daily bag limits.
📊 Population Dynamics
| Year | Region | Index | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| - | - | - |
🌐 Names & Taxonomy
| Language | Common Names |
|---|---|
| 🇬🇧English | Long-jaw flounder · Starry Flounder |
| 🇩🇰Danish | Stjerneflynder |
| 🇩🇪German | Sternflunder |
| 🇫🇷French | Plie du Pacifique · flet étiolé · flet étoilé |
| 🇯🇵Japanese | Numagarei · ヌマガレイ |
| 🇰🇷Korean | 강도다리 |
| 🇵🇱Polish | Gwódzica |
| 🇵🇹Portuguese | Solha-estrelada-do-Pacífico |
| 🇷🇺Russian | Звездчатая камбала · Камбала звездчатая |
| 🇨🇳Chinese | 強鰈 · 星斑川鰈 |
Scientific Synonyms
| Scientific Name | Author | Year | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Platichthys rugosus | Girard | 1854 | Synonym |
| Platichthys stellatus stellatus | Pallas | 1787 | Synonym |
| Pleuronectes stellatus | Pallas | 1787 | Synonym |
| Pseudoplatichthys oshorensis | Hikita | 1934 | Synonym |
🔍 Similar Species
🗺️ Global Occurrence Map
Occurrence records from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) - 135 records indexed .
👥 Community & Contribute
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