Butter sole (Isopsetta isolepis) fish species and information / pictures of Butter sole - Isopsetta isolepis

Butter sole (Isopsetta isolepis) fish species information

Scientific Name
Isopsetta isolepis

Common Name
Butter sole

Biology
Common in shallow water on soft, silty bottom. Moves into shallow water in summer and to deeper water in winter (Ref. 6885). Spawning adults exhibit north-south migrations (Ref. 6885). Feeds on chaetopod marine worms, young herring, shrimps, and sand dollars (Ref. 6885). A tasty food fish, sometimes marketed (Ref. 2850). Also used for mink food (Ref. 2850).

Classification

Classified By

Lockington, 1880

Class

Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)

Order

Flatfishes (Pleuronectiformes)

Family

Righteye flounders (Pleuronectidae)

Distribution

Region

Eastern Pacific

Distribution

Eastern Pacific: Bristol Bay in the southeastern Bering Sea and Amchitka Island (Aleutian Islands) to Ventura, California, USA.

Range

66°N - 32°N

Environment

Climate

Temperate

Water Temperature From

Unknown °C

Water Temperature To

Unknown °C

Depth From - meters

20 m

Depth To - meters

425 m

Zone

demersal

Environment

Marine; demersal; oceanodromous (Ref. 51243); depth range 20 - 425 m (Ref. 6793)

Trophic Level

3.59 s.e. 0.54 Based on food items.

Occurs in Marine / Salt water

True

Occurs in Brackish water

False

Occurs in Fresh Water

False

Occurs on Reefs

False

Is kept in Aquariums

False

Physical Size and Genetics

Maximum Length

55.0 cm

Common Length

Unknown cm

Phylogenetic Diversity Index

PD50 = 1.0000 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)

Human Uses and Population

Human Uses

Fisheries: minor commercial; gamefish: yes

Vulnerability

Low to moderate vulnerability (35 of 100)

Resilience

Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (K=0.26; tmax=11; tm=2)

Threat To Humans

Harmless

IUCN Red List Status

Not Evaluated