(Courtesy of Harold Wes Pratt)
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Summer Flounder, Fluke (Paralichthys dentatus) These are left-eyed flounders, and the side with the eyes is brown in color, with darker spots, usually adapting to the color of the bottom with the reverse side white or translucent. These fish are rather large, reaching 39" (1 m) in length. These fish are voracious hunters, preying upon fish, squid, crabs, mollusks, shrimp, and worms, and ambushing their prey from their sandy hiding places. Spending most of their lives on the Bay floor, in eelgrass or near dock pilings, these fish scatter when disturbed. They are the largest species of flatfish in the Bay and are present in the Bay from May to November. The summer-flounder fishing industry is very important for the Bay, and the commercial value of this fish exceeds that of any other fish species in Rhode Island. |