Tag: Saltwater Fish

Olive Rockfish

Scorpionfishes and Rockfishes: Family Scorpaenidae Species: Sebastes serranoides (Eigenmann & Eigenmann, 1890); from the Greek words sebastes (magnificent), and serranoides, a combination of Latin and Greek words (resembling a bass). Alternate Names: Sugar bass, Johnny bass or Jonathan (in Southern California), greenie (in central California);…

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…

Copper Rockfish

Scorpionfishes and Rockfishes: Family Scorpaenidae Species: Sebastes caurinus (Richardson, 1844); from the Greek word sebastes (magnificent). and the Latin word caurinus (northwest wind), a reference to the first specimens being taken in the northwest off of Sitka, Alaska. Alternate Names: Chucklehead, whitebelly rockfish, white gopher,…

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…

Dwarfperch

Surfperches: Family Embiotocidae Species: Micrometrus minimus (Gibbons, 1854); from the Greek words mikros (small) and metr (having a womb), and the Latin word minim (smallest). Family Embiotocidae, subfamily Embiotocinae. Alternate Names: None that I have heard, although I have seen them mistakenly called shinerperch. In…

Shiner Perch

Surfperches: Family Embiotocidae Species: Cymatogaster aggregata (Gibbons, 1854); from the Greek root words cymo (foetus or fetus) and gastro (belly) and the Latin word aggregatus (crowded together, referring to the schooling nature of the fish). Family Embiotocidae, subfamily Embiotocinae. Alternate Names: Commonly called shiner; also…

Black Rockfish

Scorpionfishes and Rockfishes: Family Scorpaenidae Species: Sebastes melanops (Girard, 1856); from the Greek words sebastes (magnificent), melas (black), and ops (face). Alternate Names: Commonly called black bass, bass rockfish or black snapper; also confused with and called blue rockfish; sometimes called bluefish, Columbia River rockfish,…

Blue Rockfish

Scorpionfishes and Rockfishes: Family Scorpaenidae Species: Sebastes mystinus (Jordan & Gilbert, 1881); from the Greek words sebastes (magnificent) and mystas (priest, referring to the dark color of a priest’s clothing). Alternate Names: Often called blue bass, blue fish, blue perch and reef perch; also confused…

Black & Yellow Rockfish

Scorpionfishes and Rockfishes: Family Scorpaenidae Species: Sebastes chrysomelas (Jordan & Gilbert 1881); from the Greek word sebastes (magnificent), and the Latin word chrysomelas (black and yellow). Alternate Names: Black-and-tan rockfish, black-and-yellow rock cod, and sand bass. Early commercial fishermen in California (who often were Italian…

Brown Rockfish

Scorpionfishes and Rockfishes: Family Scorpaenidae Species: Sebastes auriculatus (Girard, 1854); from the Greek word sebastes (magnificent) and the Latin word auriculatus (eared, referring to the large spot on the gill cover). Alternate Names: Chocolate bass is a common name as is bolina (from Bolinas Bay…