THE STEINHART AQUARIUM - Gulf of Guinea Science ...

128 A Docent Field Guide to the Species of the Steinhart Aquarium
Remarks: While feeding, they remain in
constant motion to create the water currents
that convey plankton to their small tubular
mouths. They move by using dorsal fins, and
steer by moving heads from side to side.
Used in Chinese medicine.
ORDER SCORPAENIFORMES
(SCORPIONFISHES)
Rockfishes aka Rockcods
Sebastes spp. (Sebastidae/Scorpaenidae)
Rockfishes and Scorpionfishes
This is a very large complex of species. Comments
below apply to the entire genus, unless
otherwise indicated.
Distribution: Central California to Baja California.
Habitat: In our area, common in clean bays,
along shore, in kelp forests, and offshore to
depths to 450 m, (some deeper). Rocky areas,
others on offshore soft substrates.
Appearance: Basslike shape, compressed body,
large mouth. Size varies by species. Most adults
15–30 cm, some species to at least 96 cm. Red
and brown are the predominant colors. Most
have spines on the head.
Diet: Carnivorous predators.
Reproduction and Development: Fertilization
internal. Although rockfish are sometimes
reported as being ovoviviparous (bearing
live young without maternal nutrition), many
recent studies have confirmed that they are
a primitive viviparous group and supply
nutrients to developing embryos. Female
typically gives birth to many live larval stage
fry, each about the size of an eyelash. Most,
of course, are food for others with only a few
reaching reproductive maturity.
Mortality/Longevity: Rockfish are among the
longest-lived fishes, with most species living
between 20–50 years. A number of species live
to be well over 100 years old, and the oldest
rockfish known was aged at 205 years, a rougheye
caught off the coast of Alaska.
Conservation Status: Until recently, an important
food fish taken commercially and by sportfishers.
However, rockfish stocks, especially
among certain species, are in steep decline.
New regulations are now in place, in order to
allow populations to recover. Since many rockfish
species do not breed until 20 years or more
and also have relatively few young, a recovery
for many species may not happen during the
lifetime of the reader of this text.
Remarks: The Scorpaenidae (scorpionfishes
and rockfishes) is the largest family of fishes in
our area, the Eastern Pacific coast, with more
than 60 species (Sebastes spp.)
Dorsal, pelvic, and anal spines are slightly
venomous. Level of toxicity varies by species.
Eschmeyer (CAS curator emeritus) and others
recognize Sebastidae as a separate family that
includes only the rockfishes. Others place
rockfish together with scorpionfish in the
single family Scorpaenidae.
Copper Rockfish
Sebastes caurinus (Sebastidae/Scorpaenidae)
Rockfishes and Scorpionfishes
Distribution: Gulf of Alaska to central Baja
California.
Habitat: Rocky or rock-sand bottoms, 10–180
m. Solitary, bottom-dwelling reef fish which
frequently live near pinnacles and wrecks.
Particularly abundant in shallow, protected
bays and inlets, among rocks and kelp beds;
also found around pilings and jetties or under
floats. Juveniles found in loose aggregations
in shallow weedy bays, around wharfs, or
among floating drift associated with summer
tidelines. Adults avoid warm water; thus live
deeper in southern California than farther
north. Juveniles tend to live in shallow (< 7
m) water.
Appearance: Length to 60 cm. Deep, stout
body. Color highly variable; dark brown or
olive to pink or orange-red above, with patches
of pink-copper and occasionally yellow; bright
white below. Fins primarily copper, often
dusky. Juveniles are often more intensely colored
than adults.
Diet: Juveniles consume plankton. Adults
are mainly benthic feeders and prey upon
fishes, crabs, mysid shrimp, prawns, amphipods,
octopuses, polychaete worms and
fish eggs.
Reproduction and Development: Fertilization
internal. Viviparous. Larvae planktonic. Sexually
mature at around five years.
Mortality/Longevity: Live to at least 55 years.