Derwent flounder
Encyclopedia
The Derwent flounder, Taratretis derwentensis, is a flatfish
of the family Pleuronectidae
. It is a demersal fish that lives on sand and mud bottoms in shallow coastal waters, at depths of between 3 and 50 m (9.8 and 164 ft). Its native habitat is the southwestern Pacific
, particularly the south east coast of Australia
, from New South Wales
to South Australia
and Tasmania
. It grows to at least 9 centimetres (3.5 in) in length, and can reach up to 12 centimetres (4.7 in).
would probably be discarded. It is also recorded as bycatch in prawn
trawling in South Australia.
Flatfish
The flatfish are an order of ray-finned fish, also called the Heterosomata, sometimes classified as a suborder of Perciformes. In many species, both eyes lie on one side of the head, one or the other migrating through and around the head during development...
of the family Pleuronectidae
Pleuronectidae
Righteye flounders are a family, Pleuronectidae, of flounders. They are called "righteye flounders" because most species lie on the sea bottom on their left side, with both eyes on the right side. The Paralichthyidae are the opposite, with their eyes on the left side.Their dorsal and anal fins are...
. It is a demersal fish that lives on sand and mud bottoms in shallow coastal waters, at depths of between 3 and 50 m (9.8 and 164 ft). Its native habitat is the southwestern Pacific
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
, particularly the south east coast of Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, from New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
to South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
and Tasmania
Tasmania
Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
. It grows to at least 9 centimetres (3.5 in) in length, and can reach up to 12 centimetres (4.7 in).
Commercial fishing
Although the Derwent flounder is listed as a minor component of the Tasmanian commercial flounder catch, its small size makes it undesirable, and any bycatchBycatch
The term “bycatch” is usually used for fish caught unintentionally in a fishery while intending to catch other fish. It may however also indicate untargeted catch in other forms of animal harvesting or collecting...
would probably be discarded. It is also recorded as bycatch in prawn
Prawn
Prawns are decapod crustaceans of the sub-order Dendrobranchiata. There are 540 extant species, in seven families, and a fossil record extending back to the Devonian...
trawling in South Australia.