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Species: Paralichthys oblongus, Fourspot Flounder

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eyes large, close-set, separated by ridge
body edges - 2 pairs ocelli
LL arched, 63-95

Paralichthys oblongus (Mitchill, 1815)

Fourspot Flounder

Body and elongate oval; eyes on left side, large, close together, separated by a bony ridge; mouth long; teeth in 1 row on jaws, canine-like, larger at front, equally developed on both jaws; gill rakers moderately long and stout, 3-6+7-10; dorsal rays 71-86, origin of fin over front edge of top eye; anal rays 58-72; pectoral fins short, eye-side fin ~ ½ length of head, on both sides of body, with branched rays; pelvic fins symmetrically positioned on belly, with short bases, base of neither fin on body midline; urinary papilla on eye side, immediately behind level of anus; scales large, without small accessory scales, smooth on both sides; lateral line well developed on both sides, extending onto head, with branches to upper eye and below lower eye, strongly arched over pectoral fin, with 63-95 scales.

Brown; 2 pairs of large, dark-centered ocelli on eye side, positioned near upper and lower edges of body, 1 pair on mid-body, the other near base of tail.

Reaches 41 cm.

Lives on soft bottoms.

Depth range: 27-311 m.

Nova Scotia to the northern Gulf of Mexico.


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Salinity
  • Marine
  • Marine Only
Inshore/Offshore
  • Inshore
  • Inshore Only
Water Column Position
  • Bottom
Habitat
  • Sand & gravel
  • Soft bottom (mud/sand/gravel/beach/estuary/mangrove/seagrass)
  • Soft bottom only
  • Mud
  • Reef associated (reef + edges-water column & soft bottom)
FishBase Habitat
  • Demersal
Feeding Group
  • Carnivore
  • Data
Diet
  • Data
  • Bony fishes
  • Mobile benthic crustacea (shrimps/crabs)
  • Mobile benthic gastropods/bivalves
  • Mobile benthic worms
  • Octopus/squid/cuttlefish
Egg Type
  • Data
  • Pelagic
  • Pelagic larva
Global Endemism
  • All species
  • Greater Caribbean non-endemic
  • West Atlantic Endemic
Regional Endemism
  • Continent
  • Continent only
  • Extends North of GC
  • GC non-endemic
  • All species
Residency
  • Resident
Climate Zone
  • Subtropical (23-35N, Florida / Carolinas / Bermuda)
  • Temperate (>35N)
IUCN Red List
  • Least concern
  • Listed
CITES
  • Not listed
Length Max
  • 41
Depth Range Min
  • 27
Depth Range Max
  • 311