Category: Rockfish

Bocaccio

Scorpionfishes and Rockfishes: Family Scorpaenidae Species: Sebastes Paucispinis (Ayres, 1854); from the Greek word sebastos (magnificent), and the Latin words pauci (few) and spinus (spines). Alternate Names: Commonly called salmon grouper or simply grouper. Less common names include rock salmon, lockjaw, salmon rockfish, brown bomber,…

Gopher Rockfish

Scorpionfishes and Rockfishes: Family Scorpaenidae Species: Sebastes carnatus (Jordan & Gilbert, 1880); from the Greek word sebastes (magnificent), and the Latin word carnatus (flesh colored). Alternate Names: Butterball, butter bass, gopher cod. Called rocote amarillo in Mexico. Identification: Deep, stout body with a steep porofile.…

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);…

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…

Treefish

Scorpionfishes and Rockfishes: Family Scorpaenidae Species: Sebastes serriceps (Jordan & Gilbert, 1880); from the Greek words sebastes (magnificent), and serriceps (formed from two Latin words meaning saw head) in reference to the large head spines. Alternate Names: Convict fish, lipstick bass, lipstick fish, barber pole…

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,…

California Scorpionfish

Scorpionfishes and Rockfishes: Family Scorpaenidae Species: Scorpaena guttata (Girard, 1854); from the Greek word scorpaena (scorpion, referring to the poison spines), and the Latin word guttata (a form of small drops or spotting). Alternate Names: Commonly called sculpin although also called scorpionfish, scorpion, little poker,…