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Sevengill Shark

Cow Sharks: Family Hexanchidae Species: Notorynchus cepedianus (Perón, 1807); from the Greek roots noto (back) and r(h)ynchos (snout); and the Latin cepidianus (spotted). Small sevengill from the Berkeley Pier Alternate Names: Broadnose sevengill shark, cow shark, spotted cow shark, mud shark, bluntnose shark, broad-snout, sevengill,…

Brown Smoothhound Shark

Smoothhounds: Family Triakididae Species: Mustelus henlei (Gill, 1863); from the Latin word mustelus (weasel colored) and henlei (referring to Professor J. Henle, a 19th Century biologist). Class Chondrichthyes, Subclass Elasmobranchii, Superorder Galea, Order Carcharhiniformes, Family Triakidae—Hound sharks. Alternate Names: Sand shark, mud shark, paloma, dogfish…

Gray Smoothhound Shark

Smoothhounds: Family Triakididae Species: Mustelus californicus from the Latin words mustela (weasel-colored) and californicus referring to its geographic distibution. Alternate Names: Gray shark, sand shark, mud shark, paloma, or dogfish. Called cazón mamón in Mexico. Early names included dog-shark and oil-shark. Identification: Very similiar to…

Pacific Bonito

GDude (James Liu) and a large bonito from the Cabrillo Mole in Avalon Species: Sarda chiliensis (Cuvier, 1832); from the Greek word sarda  (an ancient name for a European species of bonito) and chiliensis (in reference to Chile, South America, where the species was first…

Sablefish

Sablefishes and Skilfishes: Family Anoplopomatidae Species: Anoplopoma fimbria (Pallas, 1814); from the Greek words anoplis (unarmed) and poma (operculum or gill cover), and the Latin word fimbria (fringe). Alternate Names: Commercially called blackcod in Washington and butterfish in California. Other names include Alaska blackcod, coalfish,…

Halfmoon

Sea Chubs: Family Kyphosidae Species: Medialuna californiensis (Steindachner, 1876); from the Spanish word medialuna (halfmoon, referring to the shape of the tail) and californiensis (California, where first found). Alternate Names: Catalina blue perch, island mackerel, blooper, blue wizard, blue perch or blue bass. In early…

Horn Shark

Bullhead Sharks: Family Heterodontidae Species: Heterodontus francisci (Girard, 1855); from the Greek hetero (different) and odont (tooth) and the Latin francisci (referring to San Francisco). (They have a small pointed tooth at the front of their jaw and a blunt tooth at the rear.) Alternate…

California Sheephead

  Adult male Sheephead caught at the Redondo Sportfishing Pier Wrasses: Family Labridae Species: Bodianus pulcher (Ayres, 1854); from the Latin pulcher (for beautiful). Sheephead were formerly known by the scientific name (1) Pimelometopon pulchrum; pimelometopon meaning fat forehead and (2) Semicossphus pulcher. Why the new…

Pile Perch

Surfperch/Seaperch — Family Embiotocidae Species: Damalichthys vacca (Girard, 1855); from the Greek root words racos (ragged) and cheilos (lips) and the Latin word vacca (like a cow). Family Embiotocidae, subfamily Embiotocinae. Alternate Names: Splittail perch, forktail perch, dusky perch, white perch, silver perch, piler perch,…

Wolf-eel

Wolf fishes: Family Anarhichadidae Picture courtesy Outdoor Writers Association of California Species: Anarrhichthys ocellatus (Ayres, 1855); from the Greek word anar-hichas (an ancient name for a fish which resembled this species) and the Latin word ocellatus (eye-like spots). Alternate Names: Moray eel. Called doctorfish in…