Fluke Fish: Description, Types, Pictures, & Fun Facts

Fluke Fish: All You Need To Know

The fluke fish (Paralichthys dentatus) is an omnivorous fish that belongs to the Animalia family, phylum Chordata, class Actinopterygii, order Pleuronectiformes, and family Paralichthyidae. Its genus is Paralichthys. The Fluke fish ranges in size from up to 3 feet in length, and weighs up to 20 pounds, with a lifetime of up to 14 years.

Fluke fish are saltwater fish that eat crabs, squid, shrimp, forage fish such as anchovies, and even smaller flounders. The most distinguishing characteristic is that they change colour and texture like a chameleon.

Fluke fish are preyed upon by monkfish, sharks, and rays. Physical characteristics include brown and hairy skin.

The fluke fish (also known as summer flounder, Northern fluke, and Hirame) is a popular commercial and recreational fish that may be found in abundance throughout the eastern shore of the United States.

Four Incredible Fluke Fish Facts!

1. Rebounding populations: Between 1989 and 2003, the estimated biomass of fluke fish off the coast of the United States increased by tenfold. The species is now classified as ‘not overfished’ by the NOAA.

2. The sea’s chameleons: Fluke fish have acquired the capacity to change their colour and texture to fit in with their surroundings since their existence depends on camouflage and blending in with the ocean’s bottoms.

3. Up to 4 million eggs: Many fish species spawn massive quantities of eggs, and the fluke fish may produce up to 4 million. Fluke females with larger bodies can lay up to 4 million eggs.

4. It’s not just you if you believe fluke fish have an unusual appearance. Flatfish are known as the “world’s most asymmetrically formed vertebrates.” Fluke fish are born with their eyes on the sides of their heads, but as they develop, their right eye climbs to the top of their head. This results in a fish with one of the most unique appearances in the animal realm.

Fluke Fish Classification and Scientific Name

Paralichthys dentatus is the scientific name for fluke fish. They’re also known as “summer flounder,” although on the East Coast of the United States, they’re known as “fluke.”

Pleuronectiformes is a fish order with three suborders, seven families, thirteen subfamilies, 117 genera, and 540 species (Eschmeyer). Flatfishes are a term used to describe a group of animals belonging to this order.

Their family, Paralichthyidae, includes roughly 110 species of large-tooth flounders. Flatfish fossils date from just after the demise of dinosaurs during the Paleocene period (65 to 57 million years ago).

Fluke Fish Appearance

Female fluke fish may grow to be around 3 feet long and weigh more than 20 pounds. A New Jersey fisherman caught a 24.3-pound fluke in 2007, but the official record fluke still belongs to a 22.7-pound catch off the coast of Long Island in 1975.

Few individuals attain these maximum sizes due to their role in commercial fishing. Flukes, like other fish, have dimorphism, with females being bigger than males. The fluke, like other ‘flatfish’ with flat bodies that stay near the ocean’s floor, has a brown colour that mimics the seabed.

The species, on the other hand, may change their hue to better match their surroundings and blend in. Fluke fish have markings on their backs that can be used to differentiate between species.

Fluke Fish Distribution, Population, and Habitat

The total biomass of the fluke stock was assessed to be 7,408 metric tonnes by the NOAA in 1989. By 2003, the figure had risen to 69,153 metric tonnes. The bottom conclusion is that the species’ numbers have returned considerably, and the NOAA now considers them to be “not overfished.”

Fluke habitat changes according to the season. Fluke fish will migrate offshore to depths of up to 600 feet during the winter months. Fluke fish migrate closer to shore in the spring and summer, where they share feeding grounds with immature fish.

The fluke fish may be found as far south as Florida and as far north as Nova Scotia in Canada’s coastal regions. Fluke fish, on the whole, tend to migrate northward towards shallow feeding sites as they get older. As a result, larger fluke fish are frequently taken in locations like New England, where there are more fully-grown fish.

Fluke Fish Predators and Prey

Fluke fish search by blending in with their surroundings. The fish sank to the seabed, burrowing under the sand until only their eyes were visible above the sand. When prey comes, the flounder swiftly emerges from its hiding place and attacks crabs, squid, shrimp, forage fish like anchovy, and even smaller flounders.

Fluke fish confront a variety of predators in shallow coastal areas as youngsters. Juvenile flounders will be hunted by bass, sharks, and toadfish. In addition, bigger bottom-dwellers such as monkfish, skate fish, and rays pose a threat to the species.

Fluke Fish Reproduction and Lifespan

Spawning takes place throughout the colder months of the year, when the fish migrate offshore to water temperatures of 33 to 50 degrees Fahrenheit. The cooler temperatures boost plankton biomass, giving fluke fish larvae a better chance of survival.

By the age of three, females have reached sexual maturity, and bigger females produce more eggs. The biggest flukes are said to be capable of releasing approximately four million eggs.

As larvae mature, they migrate to inshore estuaries and other habitats to complete their development. Fluke fish larvae, like other flatfish, have a distinct appearance when fully developed.

They have two pairs of eyes on each side of their head, like many other fish. The fish’s left eye moves to the top of their head as they develop, and their skull twists so that their mouth is perpendicular to their body. Fluke fish may live up to 14 years, but only a small percentage of them make it that far.

Fluke Fish in Fishing and Cooking

Fish such as fluke are important for both commercial and recreational uses. Approximately 13.7 million pounds of fluke were hauled to shore in 2018. Commercial and recreational uses of the fish are split 60/40 at the moment.

Recreational fishing has always had a wide range of options. Fluke catches peaked at 38 million pounds in 1980, but as populations plummeted, the total dropped to three million pounds by the end of the decade. Quotas have helped to balance out yearly catches today.

Fluke fishing is popular throughout the summer months on Atlantic beaches in the United States, when they migrate inshore. They may be caught from piers, the beach, or from a boat fishing offshore. The flavour and texture of fluke fish are both considered modest.

Flukes are also a low-calorie fish. They provide 91 calories per 100 grammes, 1.2 grammes of fat, and 18.8 grammes of protein. Simpler preparations, such as lemon or butter, are frequently served with the fish.