MASTERS OF THE WATER-BONY FISHES 



297 



Fig. 177. Winter flounder. 



Fig. 178. Sand dab. 



depends upon its protective concealment for defense. If the disturbance con- 

 tinues, it will burv itself more deeply or, finally, swim rapidly away. 



When starrv flounders are first born, their food consists of plankton. At a 

 medium size, they ambush prey from the bottom, but as larger size and maturity 

 are reached and their heavy pharyngeal teeth have developed, they spend more 

 time hunting openly for crustacean or mollusc food. This is a good example of 

 the change in habits that almost invariably accompanies growth (Chapter 2). 



The spawning season is winter. As many as eleven million eggs may be laid 

 by a large female. This fish is found from depths of zero to 1 50 fathoms and can 

 stand a wide varietv of salinities. It is one of the most widely distributed of 

 shore fishes. Throughout its range it shows a tendency to be sinestral in some 

 waters, such as those of California, and dextral in others, such as those of Japan. 

 The sinestral form is less common than the dextral. 



WINTER flounder: Pseudopleurofiectes aniericamts 



Size: Averages about 1 foot. Up to Wi feet. 



Weight: Up to 5 pounds. 



Distribution: Labrador south to Georgia. Also found in deeper water to the 

 south. 



Identification: Dextral. Mottled like the northern fluke but has no white spots. 



Habits: This is the "sole" of the Atlantic. It is inshore in the cooler months 

 primarily and has habits that are like those of the northern fluke. 



TURBOTS 



SAND dab: Citharichthys sordidtis 



Size: Up to 1 foot. 



Distribution: British Columbia to Baja California. 



