THE STEINHART AQUARIUM - Gulf of Guinea Science ...

162 A Docent Field Guide to the Species of the Steinhart Aquarium
that surfperches gave birth to live young.
Striped Surfperch
Embiotoca lateralis (Embiotocidae)
Surfperches
Distribution: Wrangell, Alaska to northern
Baja California.
Habitat: Rocky coasts and kelp forests, estuarine
eelgrass beds, occasionally in sandy surf
near rocks. Depth to 21 m.
Appearance: Length to 38 cm. Reddish orange
with brilliant neon blue stripes. Iridescent blue
streaks and spots on head and gill cover.
Diet: Amphipods, shrimps, crabs, worms,
other small benthic invertebrates, fish eggs
and larvae.
Reproduction and Development: Fertilization
internal. Viviparous. Mature at 2–3 years (~25
cm). Females produce 11–92 young per litter.
Mortality/Longevity: Preyed upon by rockfish.
Remarks: Fished commercially, also by
sportfishers and speared by divers.
Walleye Surfperch
Hyperprosopon argenteum (Embiotocidae)
Surfperches
Distribution: Vancouver Island, British
Columbia, Canada to central Baja California.
Habitat: In surf on sand beaches and over sand
near rocks, to 18 m. Often in dense rapidly
swimming schools.
Appearance: Length to 30 cm. Thin-bodied,
football-shaped profile. Silver, often with
bluish or greenish tints; may display dusky
bars and black edges on caudal and anal fins.
Diet: Small crustaceans.
Reproduction and Development: Fertilization
internal. Viviparous; bear 5–12 young;
newborns about 3.8 cm long.
Remarks: Taken commercially and as a sport
fish.
Rainbow Surfperch
Hypsurus caryi (Embiotocidae)
Surfperches
Distribution: Cape Mendocino to northern
Baja California.
Habitat: Rocky shores, often at the edges of
kelp beds; occasionally over sand but not found
in the surf zone.
Appearance: Orange and blue horizontal
stripes on body; larger orangish bars on back.
Fins tinged with orange with black blotch on
soft dorsal and anal fins. Belly flat and long.
Max. size: 30 cm.
Diet: Isopods, amphipods and other
crustaceans; also snails and brittle stars.
Reproduction and Development: Females
viviparous and give birth to as many as 22
young, each about 5 cm at birth.
Conservation Status: Not particularly
abundant, but not protected.
Remarks: Divers in Monterey Bay report
rainbow surfperch cleaning ocean sunfish
(Mola mola).
Dwarf Surfperch
Micrometrus minimus (Embiotocidae)
Surfperches
Distribution: Bodega Bay, California to Central
Baja California.
Habitat: Rocky tide pools to 9 m, often among
seaweeds.
Appearance: Length to 16 cm, typically much
smaller (thus the common name). Silvery blue
or greenish on back, greenish to silver shading
below. Black triangle at base of pectoral fin.
Irregular dark stripe along side, crossed by
bar-like dark blotches.
Diet: Algae and small crustaceans.
Reproduction and Development: Like all
surfperches, fertilization is internal, aided by
the thickened front part of the male’s anal fin.
Embryos are nourished by the mother prior to
delivery. Litters are very small in number. Like
all surfperches, offspring are born as juveniles,
not larvae.
Mortality/Longevity: Occasionally taken by
fishers using baited hooks.
Rubberlip Surfperch
Rhacochilus toxotes (Embiotocidae)
Surfperches
Distribution: Eastern North Pacific: Cape Mendocino,
California to Central Baja California.
Habitat: Generally favor inshore waters with
rocky shelves and extensive kelp beds.
Appearance: Silvery blue to purplish on dorsal
surface; pectoral fins yellowish; pelvic fins
black or dusky fringed with black; prominent
lips thick, pink or white. The largest of the
surfperches, up to 47 cm long.