Platichthys stellatus

Found inshore, often in very shallow water and in estuaries during the summer; moving into deeper water in the winter (Ref. 27547). However, they may occur in deep water throughout the year (Ref. 27547). Does not venture into water of high salinities (Ref. 28899). Young and adults move up rivers, as much as 120 km (Ref. 27547). Benthic (Ref. 58426). Feeds on crustaceans, worms, small mollusks, brittle stars, and small fishes (Ref. 6885). Important game fish (Ref. 2850). Utilized fresh and frozen; eaten steamed, fried, boiled, microwaved, and baked (Ref. 9988).

Range includes coastal areas from Santa Ynez River, California, north to Alaska, east along Arctic coast of Canada to Bathurst Inlet, west to Sea of Japan (Lee et al. 1980, Page and Burr 2011).

occurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations

Canada

Origin: Native

Regularity: Regularly occurring

Currently: Present

Confidence: Confident

Type of Residency: Year-round

United States

Origin: Native

Regularity: Regularly occurring

Currently: Present

Confidence: Confident

Type of Residency: Year-round

Global Range: (>2,500,000 square km (greater than 1,000,000 square miles)) Range includes coastal areas from Santa Ynez River, California, north to Alaska, east along Arctic coast of Canada to Bathurst Inlet, west to Sea of Japan (Lee et al. 1980, Page and Burr 2011).

North Pacific: Korea and southern Japan through the Bering Strait and Arctic Alaska (Ref. 2850) to the Coronation Gulf, Northwest Territories, Canada and Santa Barbara, southern California, USA. Hybridizes with Parophrys vetulus - the hybrid, called Inopsetta ischyra, may be found from the Bering Sea to San Francisco, California, USA. Also hybridizes with Kareius bicoloratus (Ref. 27547).

North Pacific: Aleutian Islands to California; Japan and Korea.

Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 52 - 66; Analspines: 1; Analsoft rays: 38 - 47; Vertebrae: 34 - 37

Length: 95 cm

Maximum size: 910 mm TL

91.0 cm TL (male/unsexed; (Ref. 2850)); max. published weight: 9,100 g (Ref. 2850); max. reported age: 24 years (Ref. 28499)

Distinguished by the presence of both eyes on the same side of the head, dorsal and anal fins that are marked with dark and light (white to orange) bars, and especially, by the stellate, bony tubercles scattered over its body (Ref. 27547). Dorsal originates over middle of upper eye; anal with a sharp, forward pointing spine (often buried in skin) before first ray; pectorals are bluntly pointed; caudal slightly rounded (Ref. 27547). Eyed side dark brown to nearly black, sometimes with indefinite blotchings (Alaskans specimens sometimes with a greenish tinge); blind side white to creamy; dorsal fin with 4 to 7 dark bars with white to orange spaces between; anal fin with 4 to 6 such bars; caudal fin with 3 or 4 dark longitudinal bars on its posterior part; in rare cases, the blind side may be partly or completely colored like the eyed side, or white may be present on the eyed side, creating a piebald effect (Ref. 27547, 28897, 28898).

Habitat and Ecology

Systems

• Freshwater
• Marine

Habitat Type: Freshwater

Comments: Habitat includes tidal areas with sandy or mud bottoms; typically bays, sounds, river estuaries, but also in ocean waters to depth of 900 feet, and may ascend rivers into fresh water. Usually inshore in summer, may move to deeper waters for winter. Spawns in shallow water. Larvae are pelagic.

demersal; catadromous (Ref. 51243); freshwater; brackish; marine; depth range 0 - 375 m (Ref. 6793)

Depth range based on 69 specimens in 1 taxon.
Water temperature and chemistry ranges based on 16 samples.

Environmental ranges
  Depth range (m): 0 - 360
  Temperature range (°C): 0.703 - 7.611
  Nitrate (umol/L): 3.721 - 37.718
  Salinity (PPS): 30.555 - 33.799
  Oxygen (ml/l): 2.647 - 7.851
  Phosphate (umol/l): 0.759 - 3.262
  Silicate (umol/l): 15.409 - 89.836

Graphical representation

Depth range (m): 0 - 360

Temperature range (°C): 0.703 - 7.611

Nitrate (umol/L): 3.721 - 37.718

Salinity (PPS): 30.555 - 33.799

Oxygen (ml/l): 2.647 - 7.851

Phosphate (umol/l): 0.759 - 3.262

Silicate (umol/l): 15.409 - 89.836
 
Note: this information has not been validated. Check this *note*. Your feedback is most welcome.

Depth: 0 - 375m.
Recorded at 375 meters.

Habitat: demersal.

Non-Migrant: No. All populations of this species make significant seasonal migrations.

Locally Migrant: Yes. At least some populations of this species make local extended movements (generally less than 200 km) at particular times of the year (e.g., to breeding or wintering grounds, to hibernation sites).

Locally Migrant: No. No populations of this species make annual migrations of over 200 km.

May move seasonally into and out of fresh water.

Catadromous. Migrating from freshwater to the sea to spawn, e.g., European eels. Subdivision of diadromous. Migrations should be cyclical and predictable and cover more than 100 km.

Euryhaline, can exist in freshwater lagoons and river mouths, sometimes moving very far upstream. Occurs mainly in the upper sublittoral zone (Ref. 9013). Found inshore, often in very shallow water and in estuaries during the summer; moving into deeper water in the winter (Ref. 27547). However, they may occur in deep water throughout the year (Ref. 27547). Does not venture into water of high salinities (Ref. 28899). Young and adults move up rivers, as much as 120 km (Ref. 27547). Benthic (Ref. 58426). Feeds on crustaceans, worms, small mollusks, brittle stars, and small fishes (Ref. 6885).

Comments: Benthic feeder. In salt/brackish water its diet consists of: crabs, polychaetes, molluscs, amphipods, copepods and other invertebrates. In freshwater may eat insect larvae. Type of food changes with size of fish; large flounder eat fishes.

Note: For many non-migratory species, occurrences are roughly equivalent to populations.

Estimated Number of Occurrences: 81 to >300

Comments: This species is represented by a large number of occurrences (subpopulations) and locations (as defined by IUCN).

100,000 to >1,000,000 individuals

Comments: Total adult population size is unknown but quite large. This species is common in much of its range.

Abundant in central portion of its range.

Maximum longevity: 24 years (wild)

Males mature in 2nd year at 8.7-10.9"; females mature in 3rd year at 9.4-14.3". Spawns late November-February in California, later farther north; peaks at water temperature of 11 C (Morrow 1980).

Year Assessed

Assessor/s

Reviewer/s

Contributor/s

Justification

Canada

Rounded National Status Rank: NNR - Unranked

United States

Rounded National Status Rank: N5 - Secure

Rounded Global Status Rank: G5 - Secure

Population

Population Trend

Global Short Term Trend: Relatively stable (=10% change)

Comments: Trend over the past 10 years or three generations is uncertain but probably relatively stable or slowly declining.

Major Threats

Least Concern (LC)

Comments: No major threats have been identified.

Conservation Actions

fisheries: commercial; gamefish: yes