Gopher rockfish facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Gopher rockfish |
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| At the Monterey Bay Aquarium | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | |
| Phylum: | |
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| Family: |
Sebastidae
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| Genus: |
Sebastes
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| Species: |
S. carnatus
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| Binomial name | |
| Sebastes carnatus (D. S. Jordan & C. H. Gilbert, 1880)
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The gopher rockfish (Sebastes carnatus) is a type of rockfish that lives in the Pacific Ocean. You can mostly find them along the coast of California. They are also sometimes called the gopher sea perch.
Appearance of the Gopher Rockfish
Gopher rockfish have a cool, mottled look. This means they have patches of different colors. Their dark spots are usually olive green to reddish-brown. The lighter parts are white or sometimes pink. They often have three light patches on their upper back that reach into their dorsal fins (the fins on their back). The lighter colors become more common towards their belly. These fish can grow up to about 40 centimeters (about 16 inches) long.
Habitat and Behavior
You can find gopher rockfish from Oregon in the north all the way down to Punta San Roque in southern Baja California. They can live in the intertidal zone, which is the area between high and low tide. However, most gopher rockfish live deeper, usually from 12 to 80 meters (about 40 to 260 feet) deep.
During the day, these fish hide in cracks and holes in rocks. At night, they swim out to find food. They eat small crustaceans (like crabs and shrimp), cephalopods (like squid), and some smaller fish. Gopher rockfish are territorial. This means they claim an area of about 10 to 12 square meters (about 100 to 130 square feet) as their own.
Gopher Rockfish vs. Black-and-Yellow Rockfish
Gopher rockfish are very closely related to the black-and-yellow rockfish (S. chrysomelas). The black-and-yellow rockfish is usually darker brown with yellow patches. It also tends to prefer shallower water than the gopher rockfish.
For a while, people thought these two fish might just be different color versions of the same species. But scientists have done detailed studies using special genetic tests. These tests showed that there are important genetic differences between the two fish. This means they are indeed separate species, even though they look very similar and live in the same areas. Studying them helps scientists learn how new species can form.
