Common Name(s): Winter flounder, blackback, lemon sole
Scientific Name: Pseudopleuronectes americanus Winter flounder
can alter their body color to blend in with the bottom they are
resting on, making it tough for prey and predators to see them.
~Photo courtesy of U.S. Geological Survey~ - When they first
hatch, winter flounder are like most other fish, with an eye on
both sides of the head; however, as they develop, the left eye
will migrate across the top of its head to the right side of its
head. The fish then lays flat on the sea floor and will have
both eyes facing upwards. Since both eyes are on the right side
of the body, the winter flounder is called a right-eyed
flatfish. - Unlike most fish that spawn in nearshore waters
during the spring, the winter flounder comes inshore to spawn
during the winter. In order to survive the shallow waters during
the winter, the flounder produces a specialized anti-freeze
protein in their body. Where Are They Found? Winter flounder
range from Labrador, Canada down to