California halibut
Paralichthys californicus
- On view
- Monterey Bay Habitats
- Animal type
- Fishes
- Ecosystem
- Sandy seafloor
- Relatives
- Pacific halibut, Greenland halibut, sanddabs; Family: Paralichthyidae
- Diet
- Anchovies, other small fishes and squid
- Range
- Magdalena Bay, Baja California to the Quillayute River, British Columbia
- Size
- Up to 5 feet (1.5 m) long; weighs up to 72 lbs (32.7 kg)
Meet the California halibut
If you see a rather odd-looking fish lying or swimming on its side in the Monterey Bay Habitats exhibit, you're watching one of the flatfishes. One of these species, the California halibut, can be identified by its large mouth, big teeth and a lateral line that arches high above the pectoral fin. Notice that both eyes are on one side: this side of the fish is brown with light and dark splotches—the side without eyes is usually white.
Watch in real time
Monterey Bay Cam
Check out this live cam – Monterey Bay CamNatural history
The eyes of the flatfish have an important feature—they're sensitive to patterns. The fish changes its color and pattern to match perfectly with its surroundings using chromatophores (color cells). You can observe this color change by visiting the flatfishes in our Monterey Bay Habitats exhibit.
Conservation
Even though adult halibut live in offshore waters, juveniles grow up in shallow-water bays and estuaries. Dredging and filling in bays and wetlands have destroyed many of these habitats and are contributing to population decline. More marine reserves, including these wetland nurseries, would protect juvenile halibut and the adult spawning population.
Cool facts
- Take care handling a California halibut. It has what is unusual for a flatfish—a large mouth with many sharp teeth. And it bites!
- California halibut hide by burying themselves up to their eyes in the sandy seafloor. Although they seem to be a lazy fish, they're quite active. They have been observed swimming in anchovy schools and even leaping out of the water while chasing an anchovy.
- A flatfish begins life as a typical-looking fish larva with an eye on each side of its head. About 13 days after hatching, one eye starts migrating around the head to take its place next to the other eye. When the change is complete, the halibut is still less than one inch (2.5 cm) long, but ready to live life sideways. Each species matures either with the right side up or with the left side up except the California halibut, which seem to develop either way.
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