Houting
Encyclopedia
The houting is an extinct species
of fish
in the Salmonidae
family. This species is distinguishable by having a long, pointed snout, an inferior mouth and 38—46 gill
rakers. The houting once occurred in Belgium
, France
, Germany
, the Netherlands
and England
.
'Houtings' were said to be surviving in Denmark
. However, new research showed that 'Houtings' from the Danish North Sea
basin and German rivers are Coregonus maraena
. The Rhine contains Coregonus maraena that have been introduced and an yet undescribed species called Coregonus sp. 'Rhine.
The last true Houting was caught in the lower Rhine in 1940.
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
of fish
Fish
Fish are a paraphyletic group of organisms that consist of all gill-bearing aquatic vertebrate animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish, as well as various extinct related groups...
in the Salmonidae
Salmonidae
Salmonidae is a family of ray-finned fish, the only living family currently placed in the order Salmoniformes. It includes salmon, trout, chars, freshwater whitefishes and graylings...
family. This species is distinguishable by having a long, pointed snout, an inferior mouth and 38—46 gill
Gill
A gill is a respiratory organ found in many aquatic organisms that extracts dissolved oxygen from water, afterward excreting carbon dioxide. The gills of some species such as hermit crabs have adapted to allow respiration on land provided they are kept moist...
rakers. The houting once occurred in Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
and England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
. However, new research showed that 'Houtings' from the Danish North Sea
North Sea
In the southwest, beyond the Straits of Dover, the North Sea becomes the English Channel connecting to the Atlantic Ocean. In the east, it connects to the Baltic Sea via the Skagerrak and Kattegat, narrow straits that separate Denmark from Norway and Sweden respectively...
basin and German rivers are Coregonus maraena
Coregonus maraena
Coregonus maraena, also called the maraene, is a species of freshwater whitefish in the family Salmonidae. It occurs in Poland, Sweden, Finland, Germany, and Russia. The maximum length recorded for this species is . It is frequently considered to be a subspecies of Coregonus lavaretus....
. The Rhine contains Coregonus maraena that have been introduced and an yet undescribed species called Coregonus sp. 'Rhine.
The last true Houting was caught in the lower Rhine in 1940.