California Halibut

Paralichthys californicus

California Halibut

Paralichthys californicus

Other Common Names
California Flounder

Sandy Coast

Other Common Names

California Flounder

At the Aquarium

Sandy Coast

Appearance

This large, oval-shaped flatfish has small, widely spaced eyes and a large mouth with sharp teeth. Its tail is slightly forked. On the eyed side, their brown body tends to have splotches and eye-spot-like markings and its lateral line arches above the pectoral fin. The non-eyed side is white.

Habitat

Sandy and muddy bottoms to depths of 600 feet but usually in water less than 120 feet deep. Juveniles use bays and estuaries as nursery areas.

Diet

Anchovies and other small fish, squid.

Life History

Females grow faster and mature later than males. Males reach sexual maturity between 1 and 3 years of age, while females reach maturity between 2 and 7 years of age. In summer, adults spawn multiple times, with ~500,000 to ~600,000 eggs per female per batch, with 25-55 batches throughout the season. Eggs and larvae are pelagic. The larva starts undergoing metamorphosis ~13 days after hatching. During this time, one eye migrates to the other side of the head, and the fish switches from upright swimming to swimming on its side. The newly metamorphosed young, at about 0.7 inches, settles into bays, estuaries, or shallow open coast waters. These fish reach lengths of 5 feet and live up to 30 years.

IUCN Status

Least Concern

Ecosystem & Cultural Importance

These fish support important commercial and recreational fisheries. California halibut are important to marine food webs. They feed on forage fish and in turn feed their predators, including Pacific angel sharks, Pacific electric rays, California sea lions, and bottlenose dolphins.

British Columbia, Canada to Baja California, Mexico

You might catch one of these fish while recreationally fishing in Oregon waters.

These flatfish are one of the few species that can be left-eyed or right-eyed. About 60% of individuals are left-eyed, with the right eye migrating to the left side of the face. The skin of this fish contains chromatophores, or color cells, which allow the fish to change color and pattern to blend in with its surroundings. They will also hide by burying beneath the sand.

Citations & Other Resources

Animal Diversity Website: https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Paralichthys_californicus/
Barnes, Cheryl L., Richard M. Starr, and Paul N. Reilly. inchesGrowth, mortality, and reproductive seasonality of California halibut (Paralichthys californicus): a biogeographic approach.inches Calif Coop Oceanic Fish Invest Rep 56 (2015): 110-118.
Barnes, Cheryl L., and RICHARD M. Starr. inchesReproductive tactics of California halibut (Paralichthys californicus): combining spawning season, interspawning interval, and batch fecundity to estimate annual reproductive output for a multiple-batch spawning fish.inches Cal. Coop. Ocean. Fish 56 (2018): 102-114.
Lesyna, Kristine M., and Cheryl L. Barnes. inchesAssessment of length-and age-at-maturity for California halibut (Paralichthys californicus), including a histologically-based description of the reproductive cycle.inches California Fish and Game 102.3 (2016): 79-99.
Mola Marine e-book: Flatfish Made Easy by Gregory C. Jensen: https://molamarine.com/assets/images/flatfish%20made%20easy.pdf

California Halibut

California Halibut

Other Common Names

At the Aquarium

Appearance

Habitat

Diet

Life History

IUCN Status

Ecosystem & Cultural Importance

Citations & Other Resources

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