Category: Misc.

Striped Mullet

Mullet caught at Carlsbad by jkim in 2004 Mullets: Family Mugilidae Species: Mugil cephalus (Linnaeus, 1758); from mugal (meaning to suck, in reference to their feeding behavior) and cephalus (pertaining to their distinctive head Alternate Names: Mullet or grey mullet. Called lisa or lisa rayada…

Yellow Snake Eel

Snake Eels and Worm Eels: Family Ophichthidae Species: Ophichthus zophochir (Jordan & Gilbert, 1882); Ophichthus, from two Greek words meaning serpent and fish, and the Greek zophochir, for darkness and hand (dark pectoral fins). Alternate Names: Eww, a snake! In Mexico called Tieso Amarillo; in…

Basketweave Cusk-Eel

Cusk-Eel from the Newport Pier Cusk-Eels: Family Ophidiidae Species: Ophidion Scrippsae (Hubbs, 1916); from the words otophidium (referring to the large sacklike inner ear) and scrippsi (in honor of Ellen Browning Scripps who helped establish the Scripps Institution of Oceanography). Formerly Otophidium scrippsi. Alternate Names: Eel…

Pacific Hake

Hakes: Family Merlucciidae Species: Merluccius productus (Ayres, 1855); from the Latin words merluccius (an ancient name meaning sea pike) and procuctus (drawn out). Alternate Names: Cod, hake, silver hake, Pacific whiting, haddock, whitefish, popeye and oatmeal fish. Early-day names included mellusa and meluzette. In Mexico…

Pacific Sardine

Herring: Family Clupeidae Species: Sardinops sagax (Jenyns, 1842); from the Latin word sardine (sardina), the Greek word ops (like), and the Latin word sagux (of quick perception, acute or alert). Alternate Names: Pilchard, ‘dines, dinies (small sardines) and dinos, firecrackers (small sardines), rhinos or trout…

Ocean Whitefish

Tilefishes: Family Malacanthidae Species: Caulolatilus princeps (Jenyns, 1840); from the Greek words caulo (stem) and latilus (probably a similar fish) and the Latin word princeps (leader). Alternate Names: Poor man’s yellowtail, whities, blanquillo, blanka. In Mexico called pez blanco, blanquillo fino or pierna. Identification: Elongate…

Blackeye Goby

Gobies: Family Gobiidae Species: Coryphoterus nicholsii (Bean, 1882); from the Greek roots coryphos (head on summit, crest on head) and pteros (fin reaching the dorsal fin) and nicholsii (from captain H.E. Nichols, U.S.N., its discoverer). Some sources use Rhinogobiops nicholsii. Alternate Names: Goby, onespot goby,…

Northern Anchovy

Picture courtesy of the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife Anchovies: Family Engraulididae Species: Engraulis mordax (Girard, 1854); from the Greek word engraulis (European anchovy) and the Latin word mordax (biting). Alternate Names: Anchovy, California anchovy, pinheads (small anchovies). Called anchoveta or anchoveta norteña in…

Yellowfin Goby

Gobies: Family Gobiidae Species: Acanthogobius flavimanus (Temminck & Schlegel, 1845). Alternate Names: Japanese river goby (Former USSR), Mahaze (Japan), Spotted goby (Viet Nam), Yaponskii rechnoi bychok (Former USSR). Called gobio extranjero in Mexico. Identification: Typical goby shape. Color varies, generally brown but can be light…

Chameleon Goby

Gobies: Family Gobiidae Species: Tridentiger trigonocephalus   (Gill, 1859). Alternate Names: Striped goby, trident goby and specklefaced goby, Japanese goby, striped tripletooth goby (Russian Federation), polosatyi trekhzubyi bychok (Russian Federation), shimahaze (Japan). Identification: Fat with a wide, flat head; typical goby shape. The coloring is generally…