Fish Identifications: California to Alaska

Home , Black rockfish, Brown rockfish, Cabezon (fish), Canary rockfish, China rockfish, Copper rockfish

PISCO Fish ID Training

1. Aids to identification

2. Test and identification (concurrent) - Display picture - Record what you think it is - Instant answer!

3. Discuss key characteristics

Make notes! Aids to identification

1. Books

2. PPT and Cheat sheet

3. YOY identification flow diagram Aids to identification

1. Humann, Paul. 1996. Coastal Fish Identifications: California to Alaska. First Edition. New World Publications, Jacksonville, FL.

2. Eschmeyer, W.N., E.S. Herald and H. Hammann. 1983. A Field Guide to Pacific Coast Fishes of North America. First Edition. Houghton Mifflin, Boston, MA (Peterson Guide)

3. Gotshall, D. 1989. Pacific Coast Inshore Fishes. Third Edition. Sea Challengers, Monterey, California.

4. Miller, D. J. and R. N. Lea. 1972. Guide to the Coastal Marine Fishes of California. California Fish Bulletin Number 157. University of California. Cheat sheet Common name Code Freq Seen? Notes blue rockfish Sebastes mystinus SMYS 3 kelp rockfish Sebastes atrovirens SATR 3 kelp surfperch Brachyistius frenatus BFRE 3 striped surfperch Embiotoca lateralis ELAT 3 Dusky pelvics , cf HCAR senorita Oxyjulis californica OCAL 3 rockfish, OYT YOY Sebastes sp OYT 3 black rockfish Sebastes melanops SMEL 3 Light lateral, large maxillary painted greenling Oxylebius pictus OPIC 3 pile surfperch Damalichthys vacca DVAC 3 Long soft dorsal cf RTOX black surfperch Embiotoca jacksoni EJAC 3 kelp greenling Hexagrammos decagrammus HDEC 3 olive rockfish Sebastes serranoides SSER 3 rockfish, KGB YOY Sebastes sp KGB 3 black & yellow rockfish Sebastes chrysomelas SCHR 3 blackeye goby Coryphopterus nicholsii CNIC 3 gopher rockfish Sebastes carnatus SCAR 2 Flesh colored blotches bocaccio Sebastes paucispinis SPAU 2 rainbow surfperch Hypsurus caryi HCAR 2 Blue-red pelvics gopher/B&Y Sebastes sp GBY 2 white surfperch Phanerodon furcatus PFUR 2 Black line base dorsal tubesnout Aulorhynchus flavidus AFLA 2 cabezon Scorpaenichthys marmoratus SMAR 2 rubberlip surfperch Rhacochilus toxotes RTOX 2 Shorter soft dorsal, lips, bronze yellowtail rockfish Sebastes flavidus SFLA 2 Yellow gill cover, speckles lingcod Ophiodon elongatus OELO 2 kelp goby Lethops connectens LCON 2 sculpin, unidentified sp. COTT 2 canary rockfish Sebastes pinniger SPIN 1 White lateral line bronzespotted rockfish Sebastes gilli SGIL 1 Yellow YOY vermilion rockfish Sebastes miniatus SMIN 1 california sheephead Semicossyphus pulcher SPUL 1 pink surfperch Zalembius rosaceus ZROS 1 Brown spots on pink blacksmith Chromis punctipinnis CPUN 1 olive, yellowtail, black rockfish YOY OYB 1 kelp bass Paralabrax clathratus PCLA 1 copper rockfish Sebastes caurinus SCAU 1 White lateral, 1/3 posterior pipefish, unidentified Syngnathus sp. SYNG 1 kelp clingfish Rimicola muscarum RMUS 1 kelpfish, unidentified sp. Gibbonsia species CLIN 1 grass rockfish Sebastes rastrelliger SRAS 1 Dark olive mottling, boofy head coralline sculpin Artedius corallinus ACOR 1 rockfish YOY, unidentified RYOY 1 smelt, unidentified sp. ATHE 1 monkeyface-eel Cebidichthys violaceus CVIO 1 opaleye Girella nigricans GNIG 1 gunnel, unidentified sp. GUNN 1 Identification Review

1) Images of juveniles and adult life stages

2) Distinguishing dimorphic sexes

3) Identifying key distinguishing features Blue Rockfish Sebastes mystinus SMYS Blacksmith Chromis punctipinnis CPUN Black Rockfish Sebastes melanops SMEL Black rockfish, Sebastes melanops OYT olive-yellowtail Complex OYT olive-yellowtail Complex OYT olive-yellowtail Complex Olive Rockfish Sebastes serranoides SSER Yellowtail Rockfish Sebastes flavidus SFLA

silvery ventral

reddish-brown speckling Kelp Bass Paralabrax clathratus, PCLA Kelp Rockfish Sebastes atrovirens SATR Grass Rockfish Sebastes rastrelliger, SRAS Grass Rockfish (juveniles) Sebastes rastrelliger, SRAS

Red eye Black and Yellow Rockfish Sebastes chrysomelas SCHR Black and Yellow Rockfish, Sebastes chrysomelas Gopher Rockfish Sebastes carnatus, SCAR Gopher Rockfish Sebastes carnatus, SCAR Copper Rockfish Sebastes caurinus, SCAU

Figurski KGB (C) Kelp-Gopher-Black and Yellow (Copper) Complex

Kelp KGB Figurski

Johnson Kelp rockfish YOYs Gopher rockfish YOYs Copper rockfish YOYs Black & Yellow YOYs KGB(C) YOYs Quillback Rockfish Sebastes maliger, SMAL

Top of head flat

Dorsal fin membrane deeply incised Rear half can be gray to black with front of body light brown and yellow

Only for north-central CA surveys China Rockfish Sebastes nebulosus, SNEB China Rockfish Sebastes nebulosus, SNEB Bocaccio Sebastes paucispinis, SPAU Bocaccio, Sebastes paucispinis, SPAU Canary Rockfish Sebastes pinniger, SPIN Canary Rockfish Sebastes pinniger, SPIN Vermilion Rockfish Sebastes miniatus, SMIN Vermilion Rockfish Sebastes miniatus, SMIN Black-eyed Goby Rhinogobiops nicholsii CNIC Compare and contrast

Rhinogobiops nicholsii

Bay Goby, Lepidogobius lepidus Senorita Oxyjulis californica OCAL Cabezon Scorpaenichthys marmoratus, SMAR

Ammann Buffalo Sculpin Enophrys bison, EBIS

north-central CA Red Irish Lord Hemilepidotus hemilepidotus, HHEM

north-central CA Sheephead Semicossyphus pulcher, SPUL Painted Greenling Oxylebius pictus, OPIC Kelp Greenling Hexagrammos decagrammus, HDEC

male

female Kelp Greenling Hexagrammos decagrammus, HDEC Kelp Greenling (juveniles) Hexagrammos decagrammus, HDEC Rock Greenling Hexagrammos superciliosus, HSUP

More common in north-central CA Lingcod Ophiodon elongatus, OELO Striped Surfperch Embiotoca lateralis, ELAT Striped Surfperch Embiotoca lateralis, ELAT Black Surfperch Embiotoca jacksoni, EJAC Black Surfperch (juveniles) Embiotoca jacksoni, EJAC Rainbow Surfperch Hypsurus caryi, HCAR Pile Surfperch Rhacochilus vacca, RVAC Rubberlip Surfperch Rhacochilus toxotes, RTOX Kelp Surfperch Brachyistius frenatus, BFRE White Surfperch Phanerodon furcatus, PFUR Shiner Surfperch Cymatogaster aggregata, CAGG Tubesnout Aulorhynchus flavidus, AFLA Opaleye Girella nigricans, GNIG

stubby bubby elongate

dorsal spot not dorsal spot not deep-bodied juvenile rockfish

Figurski deep bodied with dorsal spot

canary rockfish Sebastes pinniger SPIN deep-bodied with no dorsal spot

maroon black edge bars fins

on bottom near sand vermilion rockfish Sebastes miniatus SMIN deep-bodied with no dorsal spot

KGB(C) brown – white barring copper rockfish Sebastes caurinus SCAU gopher or black and yellow rockfish GB kelp rockfish Sebastes atrovirens SATR elongate-bodied juvenile rockfish elongate-bodied with dorsal spot

blue with maroon speckles brown color

blue rockfish Sebastes mystinus SMYS elongate-bodied with dorsal spot

brown “uniform” brown closely associated with giant kelp black rockfish Sebastes melanops SMEL counter shaded with white saddles less associated with giant kelp olive-yellowtail complex OYT OYTs on either side of a black YOY elongate-bodied with no dorsal spot

brown saddles on light shiny background SMURF size really long maxilla light tan background with dark brown mottling bocaccio Sebastes paucispinis older: 9-10 cm SPAU Juvenile rockfish identification guide

Deep body The “Locals” Elongate body

Dorsal spot No spot Dorsal spot No spot

Clear lateral line on bottom Canary (SPIN) Long maxilla Bocaccio (SPAU) Maroon mottling Blue (SMYS) Solid red, black anal fin Unidentified YOY Vermilion (SMIN) No white dorsal spots, clear Brown bars on light body tail, uniform color (KGB complex) Black (SMEL)

‘Y’ on 4th bar Clearing on lateral line White dorsal spots, yellow fins Kelp (SATR) Copper (SCAU) (including pectoral) Olive-yellowtail complex (OYT) No ‘Y’, no clearing, but big enough to have these markings Gopher-Black/yellow (GBY) Juvenile rockfish identification guide Deep body The “Locals” Elongate body

Dorsal spot No spot Dorsal spot No spot

Maroon mottling Clear lateral line on bottom Solid red, black anal fin Blue (dorsal spot Canary (SPIN) Vermilion (SMIN) in early stages) (SMYS)

Long maxilla Bocaccio (SPAU) Brown bars on light body (KGB complex)

No white dorsal spots, clear tail, ‘Y’ on 4th bar Kelp (SATR) uniform color Black (SMEL)

Clearing on lateral line Copper (SCAU)

White dorsal spots, yellow fins No ‘Y’, no clearing, but big enough to have these markings (including pectoral) Gopher-Black/yellow (GBY) Olive-yellowtail complex (OYT) Juvenile rockfish ID guide for central CA kelp forests The “Out-of-Towners” aggregate in water column Stripetail rockfish - S. saxicola - no dorsal spot - inverted triangle

Halfbanded rockfish - S. semicinctus - no dorsal spot - dark diamond Juvenile rockfish ID guide for central CA kelp forests The “Out-of-Towners” aggregate near bottom Squarespot rockfish - S. hopkinsi - no dorsal spot - inverted triangle Juvenile rockfish ID guide for central CA kelp forests The “Out-of-Towners” associate with bottom brown rockfish - S. auriculatus - no dorsal spot - red eye - spot on operculum calico rockfish - S. dalli - diagonal posterior directed bar - white/dark bars on dorsal THE END KGB(C) YOYs