Oxyjulis californica facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Oxyjulis californica |
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The Oxyjulis californica is a type of wrasse fish. It lives in the eastern Pacific Ocean, mainly along the coasts of California and Baja California. You can find it from Salt Point in Sonoma County, California, all the way down to Cedros Island in southern Baja California. This fish is very common. Its popular Spanish name is señorita.
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What Does the Señorita Fish Look Like?
This fish can grow up to 25 cm (9.8 in) long. Its body is shaped like a cigar, which means it's long and slender. The top of the fish is brown or shiny bronze. Its sides are orange, and its belly is a lighter color.
You can easily spot a large black or dark brown mark at the base of its tail fin. The señorita fish has a small mouth with "buck teeth" that stick out. It uses these teeth to scrape tiny creatures off kelp for food.
Where Does the Señorita Fish Live?
The señorita fish lives near the coast in the ocean. It especially likes kelp forests and reefs. These fish have been seen as deep as 73 m (240 ft). However, they usually live in shallower waters, often at 20 m (66 ft) or less.
Sometimes, señorita fish swim together in small groups. If they feel scared, they often hide by digging into the sand or mud at the bottom. They also rest on the bottom at night. They burrow backward into the sand, leaving only their head sticking out.
What Does the Señorita Fish Eat?
The señorita fish eats many small ocean creatures. Its diet includes marine worms, tiny animals called bryozoans, and different types of crustaceans. It also eats dove snails, limpets, young fish called fish larvae, and squid. Sometimes, it might eat a small amount of seaweed.
One special thing about the señorita fish is that it's a cleaner wrasse. This means it helps other fish by eating tiny parasites off their bodies. These parasites are called ectoparasites. The señorita fish removes and eats things like bacteria, copepods, and isopods from other fish. About half of its food can come from these parasites!
How Does the Señorita Fish Clean Other Fish?
When a señorita fish starts cleaning, other fish often gather around. They want to get cleaned too! Many different fish species visit the señorita for grooming. These include the bat ray (Myliobatis californica) and the huge giant sea bass (Stereolepis gigas). Other clients are the kelp bass (Paralabrax clathratus), jacksmelt (Atherinopsis californiensis), and topsmelt (Atherinops affinis).
Even fish like the sargo (Diplodus sargus), blacksmith (Chromis punctipinnis), garibaldi (Hypsypops rubicundus), opaleye (Girella nigricans), halfmoon (Medialuna californiensis), and the giant mola (Mola mola) come for cleaning.
The fish needing cleaning often show the señorita what they want. For example, the garibaldi opens its gill slits. This lets the señorita reach parasites on its gills. The blacksmith fish points its head down to encourage the cleaner. Many blacksmiths might even crowd around, trying to get the señorita's attention. They might even block its way if it tries to leave! The opaleye fish usually swims all the time, but it will stop and stay still when it meets a señorita.
The kelp bass is a fish that eats small fish. But it often does not eat the señorita. Instead, it lets the señorita clean it. Even though the señorita cleans large, predatory fish, it's not always safe. It has been found in the diet of the kelp bass, the bocaccio (Sebastes paucispinis), and the starry rockfish (S. constellatus). However, it's not eaten as often as you might think, even though it's often close to predators. This might be because it doesn't taste good to them. Other animals that do eat the señorita fish include Brandt's cormorant (Phalacrocorax penicillatus) and the California sea lion (Zalophus californianus).
Reproduction and Life Cycle
Scientists don't know everything about how the señorita fish reproduces. Some think that females might be able to change into males later in life. This is called protogynous hermaphroditism. However, others are not sure if this happens with this specific fish.
The fish usually lays its eggs between May and August. The eggs float in the water, which means they are pelagic.
Other Interesting Facts
The señorita fish tends to go back to places it likes. In one experiment, señoritas were caught and then released far away. Most of them found their way back to their original homes.
Fishermen usually don't try to catch this fish for food. It can even be a bit annoying because it sometimes steals bait from fishing hooks. While you could technically eat it, it's not considered a valuable fish for food.
See also
In Spanish: Oxyjulis californica para niños
