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