Category: Fish

Reef Perch

Surfperches: Family Embiotocidae Species: Micrometrus aurora (Jordan & Gilbert, 1880); from the Greek words mikros (small) and metr (having a womb), and the Latin word aurora (sunrise). Family Embiotocidae, subfamily Embiotocinae. Alternate Names: Reef surfperch. In Mexico called mojarra de arrecife or perca. Identification: Typical…

Kelp Perch

Surfperches: Family Embiotocidae Species: Brachyistius frenatus (Gill, 1862); from the Greek words brachys (short) and istion (sail), and the Latin word frenatus (bridled). Family Embiotocidae, subfamily Embiotocinae. Alternate Names: Brown seaperch, brown perch and kelp seaperch. In Mexico called mojarra sargacera or perca. Identification: Typical…

Silver Surfperch

Picture courtesy of Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife Surfperches: Family Embiotocidae Species: Hyperprosopon ellipticum (Gibbons, 1854); from the Greek root words hyper (above) and prosopon (face, from the upward direction of the face), and the Latin word ellipticum (elliptical, referring to the outline of…

Longfin Sanddab

Lefteye Flounders: Family Bothidae Species: Citharichthys xanthostigma (Gilbert, 1890); from the Greek word citharichthys (a fish that lies on its ribs or side) and xanthostigma (yellow colored with a pointed bone—referring to the long fins). Alternate Names: Sanddab, soft flounder, Catalina sanddab. Called lenguado alón…

Sharpnose Seaperch

Surfperches: Family Embiotocidae Species: Phanerodon atripes (Jordan & Gilbert, 1880); from the Greek root words phaneros (meaning evident) and odons (tooth) meaning (for some reason) that this fish does not have large teeth and the Latin words atri (entrance or black) and pes (base of…

Spotfin Surfperch

Surfperches/Seaperches: Family Embiotocidae Species: Hyperprosopon anale (Agassiz, 1854); from the Greek root words hyper (above) and prosopon (face, from the upward direction of the face) and the Greek prefix ana (back again or similar). Alternate Names: Silver perch. In Mexico called mojarra aletimanchada or perca. Identification:…

Zebraperch

Sea Chubs: Family Kyphosidae Species: Hermosilla azure (Jenkins & Evermann, 1889); from Hermosillo (the name of the capitol city of Sonora Province in Mexico, near where first collected) and the Latin word azurea (sky-blue coloring). Alternate Names: Zebra perch, convict fish and sea chub. In…

Rock Wrasse

Wrasses: Family Labridae Species: Halichoeres semicinctus (Ayres, 1859); from the Greek words hal (belonging to the sea) and choer (like a pig); and the Latin words semi (half) and cinct (banded, in reference to the color). Alternate Names: Wrasse, iodine fish and Parrot Fish. Called…

Queenfish

Croakers: Family Sciaenidae Species: Seriphus politus (Ayres, 1860); from the Greek word seriph (a kind of locust, an island near Greece, or a kind of wormwood—take your pick. Evidently, the scientist who gave the fish its scientific name, a Dr. Ayres, never specified why he…

Black Croaker

Croakers: Family Sciaenidae Species: Cheilotrema saturnum (Girard, 1858); from the Greek word cheilotrema (lip pores) and the Latin word saturnum (dusky color). Alternate Names: China croaker, Chinese croaker, Chinafin croaker and red roncador. Early names included black perch and black bass. Given the references to…