Flounder (platichthys Flesus)
The body of the flounder is ver compressed and its height is much greater tha its width. It lies on one side and both eyes are located on the same side of its body, usually on the r'ight, sometimes on the left side. The side which is turned away from the bottom and which contains, its eyes has a dark pigmentation, whilst the undeside is a dull white. Its entire body is covered with very small scales and the lateral line is well developed. The upper part of its body is brownish or olive grey and often has large irregular dark and small brown or yellow spots. The dorsal fin is very long and this and the anal fin are characterized by rows of small spines at their bases, as is the lateral fin. 'The flounder is a bottom fish and lives gregariously on the sanely bed of shallow, brackish estuary waters close to'the river banks, but also far inland upriver. It awns from January to April in the sea at a dep of 20 to 40 m. Its eggs small crustaceans, later are planktonic. Small fl progressing to worms, unders feed largely on molluscs and insect larvae When they are 10 to 12 mm long, they swim upr)er and stay there for 3 to 4 years before again migrating back to the sea.
The flounder inhabits the uropean coast from the White Sea as far s the Black Sea. Several geographic races are kndwn. I coastal areas it has great commercial value.
A similar species, the starry under (P. stellatus), lives in the North Pacific and is found in estuaries and rivers on the west coast of America.
Maximum size and weight:
50 cm, 4 kg.
Identifying characteristics : Body strongly compressed at sides; both eyes located on the right side. Long dorsal fin starts above the eye. Sharp spines present at dorsal and anal fin bases.
