Platichthys flesus

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

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Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	ACTINOPTERYGII	PLEURONECTIFORMES	PLEURONECTIDAE

Scientific Name:

Platichthys flesus

Species Authority:

(Linnaeus, 1758)

Common Name/s:

English	–	Baltic Flounder, Butt, European Flounder, Fluke, Mud Flounder, River Flounder, White Fluke
French	–	Flet, Flet d'Europe
Spanish	–	Platija, Platija Europea, Platixa, Solla

Synonym/s:

Flesus vulgaris Moreau, 1881

Platessa carnaria Brown, 1830

Platessa glabra Rathke, 1837

Platichthys flesus bogdanovi (Sandeberg, 1878)

Platichthys flesus flesus (Linnaeus, 1758)

Platichthys flesus luscus (Pallas, 1814)

Platichthys flesus marmorata Nordmann, 1840

Platichthys flesus trachurus (Duncker, 1892)

Pleuronectes bogdanovii Sandeberg, 1878

Pleuronectes flesoides Pontoppidan, 1766

Pleuronectes flesus Linnaeus, 1758

Pleuronectes flesus baltica Suvorov, 1925

Pleuronectes flesus caninensis Suvorov, 1929

Pleuronectes flesus leiurus Duncker, 1892

Pleuronectes flesus luscus Pallas, 1814

Pleuronectes flesus septentrionalis Berg, 1949

Pleuronectes flesus septentrionalis Surorov, 1925

Pleuronectes flesus septentrionalis Berg, 1949

Pleuronectes flesus septentrionalis Surorov, 1925

Pleuronectes flesus trachurus Duncker, 1892

Pleuronectes italicus Günther, 1862

Pleuronectes luscus Pallas, 1814

Pleuronectes passer Linnaeus, 1758

Pleuronectes roseus Shaw, 1796

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Least Concern ver 3.1

Year Published:

2010

Assessor/s:

Munroe, T.A.

Reviewer/s:

Collen, B., Richman, N., Beresford, A., Chenery, A. & Ram, M.

Contributor/s:

De Silva, R., Milligan, H., Lutz, M., Batchelor, A., Jopling, B., Kemp, K., Lewis, S., Lintott, P., Sears, J., Wilson, P. & Smith, J. and Livingston, F.

Justification:
Platichthys flesus has been assessed as Least Concern. This species has a broad geographic range in which it is reported as common. Despite some signficant threats, harvesting and chemical pollution, these are not thought to pose a signficant threat to the global population at this time. However it is recommended that systematic monitoring is undertaken to determine stock status across the entire range.

History:

2008	–	Least Concern (IUCN 2008)
2008	–	Least Concern

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	This natural range of Platichthys flesus extends from the White Sea to the Mediterranean and the Black Sea. Due to accidental introductions in ballast water, it may also be found around North America.
Countries:	Native: Albania; Algeria; Belgium; Bosnia and Herzegovina; Bulgaria; Croatia; Denmark; Egypt; Estonia; Finland; France; Germany; Gibraltar; Greece; Ireland; Israel; Italy; Latvia; Lebanon; Libya; Lithuania; Malta; Morocco; Netherlands; Norway; Poland; Portugal; Romania; Russian Federation; Slovenia; Spain; Sweden; Syrian Arab Republic; Tunisia; Turkey; Ukraine; United Kingdom Regionally extinct: Czech Republic Introduced: Canada; Iran, Islamic Republic of; United States
FAO Marine Fishing Areas:	Introduced: Arctic Sea; Atlantic – eastern central; Atlantic – northeast; Mediterranean and Black Sea
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population:	Platichthys flesus is common throughout its range.
Population Trend:	Decreasing

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	Platichthys flesus is common around the British Isles, where it is typically found resting on the muddy substrate of estuaries. It has been found at a depth range of 1-100 m. It migrates into the open sea to breed from March to June, during which time it can migrate up to 300 km offshore, although it will more often migrate just 30 km. The larvae feed on copepods and diatoms and gradually shift to a diet of mysids, decapods, crustaceans, polychaetes, and bivalves. The young then return to estuarine waters, where they live on the bottom until they are ready to migrate and spawn.
Systems:	Freshwater; Marine

Habitat and Ecology:

Platichthys flesus is common around the British Isles, where it is typically found resting on the muddy substrate of estuaries. It has been found at a depth range of 1-100 m. It migrates into the open sea to breed from March to June, during which time it can migrate up to 300 km offshore, although it will more often migrate just 30 km. The larvae feed on copepods and diatoms and gradually shift to a diet of mysids, decapods, crustaceans, polychaetes, and bivalves. The young then return to estuarine waters, where they live on the bottom until they are ready to migrate and spawn.

Systems:

Freshwater; Marine

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	Due to the close association of Platichthys flesus with estuarine waters and the benthic invertebrate fauna within these habitats, it has been impacted by chemical pollution within these sediments. In particular, xenoestrogens, which occur in domestic, industrial and agricultural waste, have been noted to have a negative effect on this species, causing the occurrence of intersex specimens. Intersex individuals are caught in low, but constant amounts (Lye et al. 1998). The effects of xenoestrogen are markedly lower further from the shore (Vethaak et al. 2005). In addition, this is a commercially important food fish, with some of the most important fisheries existing in Baltic and Danish waters. The total landings for 1999 were 11,879 t, with Denmark and the Netherlands contributing the greatest landings of 3,528 t and 3,159 t respectively.

Major Threat(s):

Due to the close association of Platichthys flesus with estuarine waters and the benthic invertebrate fauna within these habitats, it has been impacted by chemical pollution within these sediments. In particular, xenoestrogens, which occur in domestic, industrial and agricultural waste, have been noted to have a negative effect on this species, causing the occurrence of intersex specimens. Intersex individuals are caught in low, but constant amounts (Lye et al. 1998). The effects of xenoestrogen are markedly lower further from the shore (Vethaak et al. 2005).

In addition, this is a commercially important food fish, with some of the most important fisheries existing in Baltic and Danish waters. The total landings for 1999 were 11,879 t, with Denmark and the Netherlands contributing the greatest landings of 3,528 t and 3,159 t respectively.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	There are no known species-specific conservation measures in place for Platichthys flesus. However, it may occur in a number of marine protected areas, affording it some protection from harvesting and high loadings of chemical waste. It is recommended that systematic monitoring is undertaken to determine stock status across the entire range.

Conservation Actions:

There are no known species-specific conservation measures in place for Platichthys flesus. However, it may occur in a number of marine protected areas, affording it some protection from harvesting and high loadings of chemical waste.

It is recommended that systematic monitoring is undertaken to determine stock status across the entire range.

Citation:	Munroe, T.A. 2010. Platichthys flesus. In: IUCN 2012. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2012.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 22 May 2013.
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