Stats

Lifespan

15-20 yrs

Size

Medium

Diet

Carnivore

Activity

Diurnal

Social

Solitary

Biome

Coastal marine

Range

North America

Movement

Swimming

Breeding

Egg-laying

Defense

Camouflage

Status

Vulnerable

About

This flatfish lives on the sandy seafloor along the North Atlantic coastline. Both of its eyes migrate to the right side of its head as it matures into an adult.

Life cycle

1. 1.
   hatchling fry

   A tiny fry hatches with a yolk sac and begins free-swimming once the sac is absorbed.
2. 2.
   juvenile

   A juvenile takes on adult body shape and feeds on small prey, often in nursery waters.
3. 3.
   adult

   Fully grown at adult size and coloration.

Learn more

• View on iNaturalist →

Taxonomy

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Chordata

Class

Actinopterygii

Order

Carangiformes

Family

Pleuronectidae

Genus

Pseudopleuronectes

Species

Pseudopleuronectes americanus