SECTION 9 

 Windowpane {Saovhthalmus aquosus) 



Life History Summary 



Windowpane (or sand dab) is a left-handed flounder which lives in shallow 

 water on sandy bottoms. It ranges from South Carolina to the Gulf of St. 

 Lawrence, with denser concentrations from Georges Bank to the Chesapeake 

 Bay. There is little evidence to confirm any inshore or offshore migrations, 

 although tagging studies show some coastal movement (Moore 1947). Windowpane 

 are not found deeper than 80 m and are able to tolerate a wide range of 

 temperatures and salinities. 



Because of its thin translucent body that excretes large amounts of 

 mucous, making filleting difficult, windowpane has usually not been sought 

 after as a food fish. During World War II, though, a shortlived market was 

 developed (Bigelow and" Schroeder 1953). Commercially, these flounders had 

 been considered trash fish. However, since 1975, landings have increased, 

 probably due to lower yellowtail landings and to an increase in windowpane 

 abundance (Dery and Livingstone 1982). 



Sexually mature windowpane (age 2 to 4) spawn in late spring and early 

 summer, primarily from Cape Cod to Chesapeake Bay in depths less than 40 m 

 (Dery and Livingstone 1982). Bottom water temperatures between 8.5° and 

 13.5°C are conducive to initiating and continuing the spawning season, and the 

 season can be interrupted if bottom temperatures exceed or fall below this 

 range (Smith et al . 1975). Windowpane eggs are planktonic; they hatch, pass 

 through their larval stages, and become juveniles in 1 to 2 months. The 

 juveniles then move offshore to deeper waters. 



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