Atlantic halibut

Halibut ( Hippoglossus hippoglossus )

The halibut ( Hippoglossus hippoglossus ) and Atlantic halibut is up to 300 cm body length and up to 400 kg weight a particularly large species of flatfish. A halibut can be up to 50 years old. Despite its name, this species does not belong to the family of Butte, but to the floes.

The sister species in the North Pacific is the Pacific halibut ( Hippoglossus stenolepis ). In the North Atlantic an unspecified related but also quite big expectant rechtsäugiger flatfish misleading as halibut ( Reinhardtius hippoglossoides ) is called. He is a highly predatory fish and eats crabs, fish and squid, which he does not hunt as opposed to most other flat fish on the ground, but in open water. All three halibut species are edible fish.

"Alaska Halibut " but is merely a trade name for the Schollenart Atheresthes stomias, see also Alaska pollock.

Appearance and way of life

Halibut typically have both eyes on the right side of the head, so are " right eye flukes ". Halibut have spotted tops and gray-white undersides; from other flatfish they can be distinguished by its triangular, slightly ausgerandeten tail, and by their unusual size.

The spawning season is in the North Sea from February to May, when Iceland from June to August.

Hazardous situation

The assessment by the World Conservation Union IUCN in 1996 in the Red List of endangered species requires an update. The halibut is considered here as endangered ( Endangered ).

The WWF - fishing guide ranks the Schwesternart Pacific halibut ( Hippoglossus stenolepis ), which is caught off the Pacific coast of the United States, one in the green category.