Latour et al.: The trophic dynamics of Paralichthys dentatus in Chesapeake Bay 
55 
1981; Hartman and Brandt, 1995), however, the pre- 
ponderance of fishes in the diet of summer flounder 
indicates that this species also fits that characterization 
(i.e. , fishes represent approximately 50% or more of the 
diet of summer flounder >225 mm TL). In terms of life 
history and estuarine dependence, appreciable abun- 
dances of summer flounder have been consistently pres- 
ent in our samples over the past several years. Hence, 
the sheer abundance, protracted use of estuarine habi- 
tat, and piscivorous diet of summer flounder combine to 
indicate that the impacts on piscine prey by this species 
have the potential to match those of the aforementioned 
three fishes. Piscivory was also documented in several 
size-classes of summer flounder within offshore habitats 
along the continental shelf (>10 m depth) from southern 
New England through the Mid-Atlantic Bight (Link 
