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Arrow-toothed Halibut — Part 4
Images coming soon.
The body of this flounder is regularly elliptical, the colour and eyes are on the right side and the upper side of the head is covered with imbricated ctenoid scales similar to those of the body; blind side of head nearly naked. The colour above is dark rusty-brown, either plain or mottled with darker. The young are olive-brown, spotted with reddish; the under parts are white.
The genus Liopsetta is represented by 2 species, the most important of which is known as the Arctic flounder, L. glacialis.
This small flounder is found in Bering Sea on both shores, at least as far south on the American side as Bristol Bay. Though small, its great abundance and delicious flavour make it a food-fish of much importance.
The other species, L. putnami, is the eel-back flounder. It is found from Cape Cod northward at least to Labrador. It is a small fish, rarely exceeding a foot in length, but is often seen in the markets. Its flesh is of delicate flavour and the fish finds a ready sale.
The genus Platichthys contains a single species, P. stellatus, known as the great flounder or starry flounder.
This species occurs on the Pacific Coast of America from middle California to the Arctic Ocean; and south on the Asiatic side to the mouth of the Amur River. Of the small-mouthed flounders it is much the largest species known, as it reaches a weight of 15 to 20 pounds. It is an excellent food-fish, and from its size and abundance it is one of the most important species in the region where found. It constitutes fully one-half the total catch of flounders on our Pacific Coast, and it is equally abundant in Bering Sea. It lives in shallow water and sometimes ascends the larger rivers.
The genus Glyptocephalus has 2 species in our waters, only one of which is of importance. This is the pale flounder or craig fluke, G. cynoglossus, which occurs in the North Atlantic, south on our coast to Cape Cod. It has been taken in great numbers in rather deep water, on sandy bottom, off the New England coast. Though reaching only a small size, rarely a foot or 18 inches in length, this flounder is an excellent food-fish. By many it is said to be not inferior to the European sole. The colour is grayish-brown, the fins dark spotted, the tips of the pectorals dusky.
In the genus Lophopsetta (Turbot tribe) we have a single species, L. maculata, known popularly as the window pane. It is an interesting species, occurring on our Atlantic Coast from Maine to the Carolinas. It attains a weight of 1 to 2 pounds or less and is generally common on sandy bottom. It is a near relative of the valuable European turbot (Psetta maxima).