Sundial Flounder 327 



Sundial, Windowpane Flounder 

 Lophopsetta maculata (Mitchill) 



Color: Eyed side: pale olive green, red-brown, or gray- 

 brown, mottled in appearance and dotted with irregular 

 brown spots. Blind side: white. 



Distribution: Gulf of St. Lawrence to South Carolina but 

 most common south of Cape Cod. 



Size: Reaches a length of V/i feet and a weight of 2 

 pounds. 



General Information: The Sundial is a shoal-water, bottom- 

 inhabiting species, it is found commonly from just below 

 the tide mark down to a depth of about 150 feet. Spawning 

 occurs in late spring and sumrner. The eggs are buoyant 

 and hatch in about one week at a water temperature of 

 51-56 degrees. Fish one foot in length are about 7 years 

 old. The Sundial feeds on a wide variety of invertebrates 

 including shrimps, crabs, and small fishes. 

 Economic Importance: A good food fish mostly discarded 

 because of its small size and relatively thin body. The 

 bigger fish are sometimes marketed. The Sundial is often 

 caught by anglers fishing for other species. 



