Family: Pleuronectidae, Righteye Flounders view all from this family
Description To 8'9" (2.7 m); 800 lbs (363 kg). Elongate, highly compressed, diamond-shaped, eyes on right side; eyed side dark brown with fine mottling, blind side pigmented, lighter brown. Snout moderately sharp; mouth medium-sized; double row of teeth in upper jaw sharp, conical; maxilla not extending beyond anterior edge of lower eye. Pelvic fins symmetrically placed; dorsal fin origin over middle of eye, longest soft rays of dorsal and anal fins at about middle of body; caudal fin slightly forked. Lateral line arched above pectoral fin; scales numerous, smooth.
Similar Species Arrowtooth Flounder (Atheresthes stomias) lacks pigment on blind side; each jaw has 2 rows of sharp, strong teeth; dorsal fin origin over middle of upper eye; occurs from Bering Sea to San Pedro, California. Greenland Halibut (Reinhardtius hippolglossoides) has dark to light brown on blind side; maxilla extends to rear edge of lower eye; teeth strong, sharp, simple, in single row on jaws; dorsal fin origin behind upper eye; lateral line straight; occurs in Atlantic from Arctic Ocean to Bay of Fundy; in Pacific from Bering Sea to N. Baja California. Both in similar habitat.
Habitat Over soft bottoms at 3-600 fathoms.
Range From Bering Sea to Santa Rosa Island, California.
Discussion The Pacific Halibut supports one of the oldest and most valuable fisheries on the Pacific Coast. It is a highly desirable sport fish off Washington, British Columbia, and Alaska.
