1. Winter Flounder By: Chloe King

2. General Information Common Name: Winter Flounder Scientific Name: Pseudopleuronectes americanus Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Actinopterygii

3. Size Weight: 8 pounds Length: 25 inches Females grow faster than males

4. Habitat/Distribution Native to costal waters of the western north Atlantic coast United States and Canada Summers spent off shore in deeper waters Winters spent in shallow coastal estuaries, rivers, and bays

5. Feeding Habits Larva and juveniles feed on invertebrates Adults feed on shrimp, clams, polychaete worms, fish fry, and bits of seaweed Feed during daylight hours

6. Breeding Habits Sexual maturity at 3 years of age Small females produce 500,000 eggs and large females produce 1,500,00 eggs per year. Reproduction occurs in estuaries from January to May Fish return for many years to the same site to spawn.

7. Population Not an exact number Population has been decreasing in past years Recovery projects to help the population grow

8. Statistics Population size has decreased by 91% in the past 17 years Their life span is about 15 years

9. Use By Humans Eating Fishing

10. Interesting Information Have eyes on the right side of their bodies They don’t have teeth

11. Quiz 1. What two countries are they found in? 2. What do humans use them for? 3. Has the population been increasing or decreasing? 4. What do they eat? 5. What side of the body is the fish’s eyes on?