Hippoglossus stenolepis Schmidt, 1904
Pacific halibut
photo by Archipelago Marine Research Ltd.

Family:  Pleuronectidae (Righteye flounders), subfamily: Hippoglossinae
Max. size:  258 cm TL (male/unsexed); 267 cm TL (female); max.weight: 363 kg; max. reported age: 55 years
Environment:  demersal; marine; depth range 0 - 1200 m, oceanodromous
Distribution:  North Pacific: Hokkaido, Japan and the Sea of Okhotsk to the southern Chukchi Sea and Point Camalu, Baja California, Mexico.
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 0-0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 90-106; Anal spines: 0-0; Anal soft rays: 69-80; Vertebrae: 49-51. Dorsal origin above anterior part of pupil in upper eye, generally low, higher in middle. Caudal spread and slightly lunate. Pectorals small.
Biology:  Found on various types of bottoms (Ref. 2850). Young are found near shore, moving out to deeper waters as they grow older (Ref. 6885). Older individuals typically move from deeper water along the edge of the continental shelf where they spend the winter, to shallow coastal water (27-274 m) for the summer (Ref. 28499). Feed on fishes, crabs, clams, squids, and other invertebrates (Ref. 6885). Utilized fresh, dried or salted, smoked and frozen; eaten steamed, fried, broiled, boiled, microwaved and baked (Ref. 9988).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 05 November 2020 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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