Summer Flounder vs Wels Catfish

Paralichthys dentatus comparado com Silurus glanis

Taxonomy & Classification

Atributo	Summer Flounder	Wels Catfish
Nome Científico	Paralichthys dentatus	Silurus glanis
Ordem	Perciformes	Siluriformes
Família	Pleuronectidae	Ictaluridae
Conservation Status	Least Concern	Least Concern

Physical Traits

Atributo	Summer Flounder	Wels Catfish
Comprimento Máximo	94,0 cm	500,0 cm
Peso Máximo	12,0 kg	300,0 kg
Cor	Eyed side is brownish to gray-green with a mottled pattern of pale blotches; 12–14 distinct pale-edged dark ocelli (eyespots) scattered across the body; blind side is plain white; color changes with substrate.	Dark olive-green to slate-gray back with irregular mottled marbling of darker blotches; flanks grade to olive-yellow; scaleless smooth skin; belly pale cream to yellowish-white; head broad and flat.

Habitat & Environment

Atributo	Summer Flounder	Wels Catfish
Tipo de Água	Saltwater	Brackish
Faixa de Profundidade	10-183m	0-30m
Distribuição Geográfica	Western North Atlantic from Nova Scotia south to Florida and the northern Gulf of Mexico. Undertakes seasonal offshore migration to deeper Continental Shelf waters in …	Native to large river systems and lakes of central and eastern Europe from the Rhine basin east to the Caspian and Aral sea drainages. Introduced …
Habitat	Neritic, demersal, estuaries	Large rivers, lakes, and reservoirs across Europe and Asia (Volga, Danube, Rhine, Ob). Inhabits deep, slow-moving freshwater with soft substrates. Tolerates turbid water (15-25°C). Highly …

Informações de Pesca

Atributo	Summer Flounder	Wels Catfish
Peixe Esportivo	Sim	Sim
Classificação de Resistência	4/10	9/10
Recorde Mundial	—	—
Nível de Mercúrio	—	—

Cuisine & Edibility

Summer Flounder

Thin, delicate white fillets with a sweet, mild flavor and very low fat. Prized on the U.S. East Coast; superb pan-fried in butter, stuffed and baked, or prepared as ceviche.

Wels Catfish

Fatty, soft flesh with a mild, slightly sweet flavor; quality improves from cold, clean water fish. Popular in Central European cuisines — commonly smoked, fried, or braised with vegetables.

Species Overview

Summer Flounder

The summer flounder, or fluke, is a flatfish that lies camouflaged on the ocean floor. Born with eyes on both sides, one eye migrates to the left side during development. An ambush predator, it explodes upward to grab passing prey.

Wels Catfish

The wels catfish is the largest freshwater fish in Europe, capable of exceeding 5 meters. Found in large rivers and lakes across the continent, it has been documented beaching itself to catch pigeons. It can live over 80 years.