Species: Paralichthys lethostigma, Southern Flounder

Paralichthys lethostigma Jordan & Gilbert, 1884

Southern Flounder

Body oval, elongate (43-48% of SL); eyes on left side, relatively small; space between eyes flat and about as wide as an eye; upper profile of head slightly concave above eyes; mouth large, ends under or behind rear edge of lower eye; teeth are large canines, in a single row on each jaw; 8-11 lower gill rakers; dorsal rays 80-95, its origin above center between nostrils, front rays not elongated; 63-74 anal rays; pectoral fins on both sides of body, with branched rays, eye-side fin short (not reaching to straight part of lateral line) and rounded, 11-13 rays; pelvic fins with symmetric bases, base of neither fin on body midline, fins same size; urinary papilla on eye side, immediately behind level of anus; tail fin with a blunt point; eye-side scales smooth and small, 85-100 on lateral line; lateral line well developed on both sides, extending onto head, with branches to upper eye and below lower eye, strongly arched over pectoral fin.

Eye side brown; body and fins with diffuse dark spots and blotches, fading in large fish.

Size: 91.5 cm.

Habitat: mud and silty bottoms; marine and brackish with adults entering rivers.

Depth: 1-40 m.

N Carolina to the W Gulf of Mexico.