southern flounder
Paralichthys lethostigma
A flounder of bays, estuaries and shallow waters, from Virginia (USA) to the Gulf of Mexico and Trinidad and Tobago. It is heavily fished from piers, jetties and small boats, and is sold fresh.
Also called: linguado-da-flórida, lenguado limpio, southern flounder
- maximum
- 83 cm
- record/max.
- 9.3 kg
- depth
- 1–43 m
who is the southern flounder
A flounder of the family Paralichthyidae, with a flattened body, reaching 83 cm and up to 9.3 kg. It lives mainly on mud bottoms in estuaries and coastal waters, down to 40 m, and enters brackish bays. In winter it moves to deeper waters, but it stays easy to reach. Adults eat mainly fish, crabs and shrimp; juveniles eat small bottom invertebrates. It is often fished from the shore, from piers and jetties, and from small boats. It blends in very well with the bottom.
Essential profile. Identification, where it occurs and rules, with data from FishBase and the cited regulations. Season, time of day, technique and bait are added once we have a good source for the southern flounder; in the meantime, see the similar species.
fun facts
- It tolerates slightly salty water and sometimes enters fresh water.
identification
A flounder with a short, deep body and both eyes on the left side, like the rest of the family. On the same coast, the whitebelly flounder (Paralichthys albigutta) lives on hard and sandy bottoms of bays and lagoons, while this one prefers estuary mud, which helps tell the two apart.
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Each card shows the day's index (0 to 100) and, below it, a strip with the index for each hour, from 0h to 23h. from poor to excellent.
Essential profile: the index uses a general fish model (weather, sun, moon and tide), without a season or time of day specific to this species.
where found
It lives from Virginia, USA, to Texas, northern Mexico and Trinidad and Tobago, in estuaries and shallow coasts.
Habitat: Mud of estuaries and shallow coastal waters, 1 to 43 m deep.
rules for the southern flounder
Summary of the regulations we found, with the source for each. Rules change; before keeping or transporting fish, check with the state environmental agency.
We found no species-specific rule beyond the region's general rules.
catch and release
catch and release Releasing the fish alive, quickly and with a wet hand. During a closed season it isn't always allowed: what the regulation says applies.
It is not dangerous. Hold it by the body, with wet hands, and release it quickly, without leaving it out of the water.
in the kitchen
Sold fresh and frozen, it can be steamed, fried, boiled or baked.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.00575, b = 3.19; FishBase (relação peso-comprimento bayesiana, estimativa da própria espécie)). It's an average: a fat or lean fish can vary by 10% to 20%.
estimated weight
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sources and references
Essential profile: size, length-weight, depth, countries and conservation come from FishBase and the cited regulations, and the texts were written from those sources. Season, time of day, sensitivities, technique and baits and lures are not included yet, because we did not find a good source for this species.
- scientific FishBase: Paralichthys lethostigma (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Paralichthys lethostigmaNames by country and language.
