TAXONOMY
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
Order: Scorpaeniformes (Scorpionfishes and flatheads)
Family: Sebastidae (Rockfishes, rockcods and thornyheads)
Genus/species: Sebastes constellatus
GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS: Elongate red-orange above, with 3–5 large whitish blotches on back; paler below. Small white dots cover most of the body.
Length up to 46 cm (18 inches).
DISTRIBUTION/HABITAT: San Francisco Cordell Bank south to Baja in coastal waters; usually on deep reefs at 24-275 m (80-900 ft)
REPRODUCTION: As with other kinds of rockfish, fertilization is internal. Viviparous (live young are born) with planktonic larvae and pelagic juveniles.
CONSERVATION: IUCN; Not evaluated
REMARKS: Occasionally caught by sport fishers; considered highly flavorful.
“Sebastes contellatus” is latin for “magnificent starred”
References
California Academy of Sciences Steinhart Aquarium California Rocky Coast 2017
Ron’s flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/cas_docents/sets/72157608333101710/with/2989047345/
Eschmeyer, W.N., E.S. Herald and H. Hammann, 1983. A field guide to Pacific coast fishes of North America. Boston (MA, USA): Houghton Mifflin Company. p 137
Probably More Than You Want To Know About The Fishes Of The Pacific Coast, Milton Love 1996 Really Big Press p 155
Ron’s WordPress shortlink http://wp.me/p1DZ4b-EM
fishbase: www.fishbase.org/summary/3961
eol http://eol.org/pages/203880/details
CA dept of fish and wildlife www.dfg.ca.gov/marine/mspcont4.asp#starry
