Widow rockfish | |
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A school of widow rockfish, Sebastes entomelas | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Actinopterygii |
Order: | Scorpaeniformes |
Family: | Scorpaenidae |
Genus: | Sebastes |
Species: | S. entomelas |
Binomial name | |
Sebastes entomelas (D. S. Jordan & C. H. Gilbert, 1880) | |
Synonyms [1] | |
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The widow rockfish (Sebastes entomelas), or brown bomber, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the subfamily Sebastinae, the rockfishes, part of the family Scorpaenidae. It is found in the northeastern Pacific Ocean.
The widow rockfish was first formally described as Sebastichthys entomelas in 1880 by the American ichthyologists David Starr Jordan and Charles Henry Gilbert with the type locality given as deepwater outside of Monterey Bay, California. [2] Some authorities place this species in the subgenus Acutomentum. The specific name entomelas is a compound of entos meaning “within” and melas which means “black” an allusion to the “jet-black” peritoneum of this species. [3]
The widow rockfish has an elongate and compressed, scale covered body which has a depth which is around one third of its standard length. [4] The head is relatively short, and the upper profile is slightly curved. The mouth is relatively small, the lower jaw projects slightly. The color is brassy brown over most of the body with the belly generally lighter in color, often with a reddish cast. The fin membranes, especially those in the anal and pectoral fins, are black. Specimens smaller than 10 inches (250 mm) are lighter in color and are tinged with vague streaks of orange. [5] There are weak spines on the head and there are 13 spined and 14-16 soft rays in the dorsal fin while the anal fin has 3 spines and 8-10 soft rays. This species attains a maximum total length of 60 cm (24 in). [1]
The widow rockfish occurs from Todos Santos Bay, Baja California, to Albatross Bank, in the Gulf of Alaska. [1] Adult widow rockfishes are most abundant from British Columbia to northern California. [6] This is a pelagic-neritic fish which is found at depths between 0 and 549 m (0 and 1,801 ft). [1]
Widow rockfish feed on krill and copepods as juveniles while the adults feed on juvenile crabs, amphipods, krill, and small fishes. The juveniles are preyed upon by Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) and northern fur seals (Callorhinus ursinus). A few mature when 12 inches (300 mm) long and 3 years old. Fifty percent are mature when 12.75 inches (324 mm) long or 4 years old. Widow rockfish may live to be 16 years old. [6] As with other rockfish fertilization is internal and the young are born live. The number of developing eggs increases from 95,000 in fish 12.75 inches (324 mm) long, to about 1,100,000 in a fish 20 inches (510 mm) long. [4]
A potential PCR-RFLP genetic sex marker developed for gopher rockfish [7] does not successfully distinguish male and female widow rockfish. [8]
Widow rockfish fisheries are managed by NOAA Fisheries and the Pacific Fishery Management Council under the Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery Management Plan. This allows for the issue of permits which limit entry to the fishery. There are limits to how much can be landed from each trip and there are closed seasons and areas closed to fisheries. It restricts the type of fishing gear which can be used to reduce bycatch and habitat destruction. It also provides for a trawl rationalization catch share program which sets catch limits based on the population status of each species and a share of that limit is allocated to each fisherman, this can be shared with other fishermen. The Widow rockfish is managed as part of the other rockfish complex in the Gulf of Alaska, although this species is not specifically targeted in Alaskan waters and only small amounts are landed as bycatch. [6]
Nutrition information for widow rockfish is as follows. [9]
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The gopher rockfish, also known as the gopher sea perch, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the subfamily Sebastinae, the rockfishes, part of the family Scorpaenidae. It is found in the eastern Pacific, primarily off California.
The blue rockfish or blue seaperch, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the subfamily Sebastinae, the rockfishes, part of the family Scorpaenidae. It is found in the northeastern Pacific Ocean, ranging from northern Baja California to central Oregon.
The China rockfish, the yellowstripe rockfish or yellowspotted rockfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the subfamily Sebastinae, the rockfishes, part of the family Scorpaenidae. It is native to the waters of the Pacific Ocean off western North America.
The canary rockfish, also known as the orange rockfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the subfamily Sebastinae, the rockfishes, part of the family Scorpaenidae. It is native to the waters of the Pacific Ocean off western North America.
The shortraker rockfish is an offshore, demersal species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the subfamily Sebastinae, the rockfishes, part of the family Scorpaenidae. It is found in the northern Pacific Ocean.
Sebastes miniatus, the vermilion rockfish, vermilion seaperch, red snapper, red rock cod, and rasher, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the subfamily Sebastinae, the rockfishes, part of the family Scorpaenidae. It is native to the waters of the Pacific Ocean off western North America from Baja California to Alaska.
The yellowtail rockfish, or yellowtail seaperch, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the subfamily Sebastinae, the rockfishes, part of the family Scorpaenidae. This species lives mainly off the coast of western North America from California to Alaska.
Sebastes goodei, the chilipepper rockfish and chilipepper, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the subfamily Sebastinae, the rockfishes, part of the family Scorpaenidae. This species lives mainly off the coast of western North America from Baja California to Vancouver.
The starry rockfish, also known as the spotted corsair, spotted rockfish, chinafish, and red rock cod, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the subfamily Sebastinae, the rockfishes, part of the family Scorpaenidae. It is found in the eastern Pacific Ocean.
The black rockfish, also known variously as the black seaperch, black bass, black rock cod, sea bass, black snapper and Pacific Ocean perch, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the subfamily Sebastinae, the rockfishes, part of the family Scorpaenidae. It is sometimes misidentified as the "red snapper".
Sebastes chrysomelas, commonly known as the black-and-yellow rockfish, is a marine fish species of the family Sebastidae. It is found in rocky areas in the Pacific off California and Baja California. Although it is similar in appearance to the China rockfish, the black-and-yellow rockfish lacks the China's long yellow streak. The China rockfish has a continuous yellow band while the black-and-yellow rockfish only has scattered patches of yellow across its body.
The brown rockfish, whose other names include brown seaperch, chocolate bass, brown bass and brown bomber, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the subfamily Sebastinae, the rockfishes, part of the family Scorpaenidae. It is found in the northeastern Pacific Ocean.
Sebastes atrovirens, the kelp rockfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the subfamily Sebastinae, the rockfishes, part of the family Scorpaenidae. It is native to the Pacific Ocean along the coast of California in the United States and Baja California in Mexico.
Sebastes aurora, the aurora rockfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the subfamily Sebastinae, the rockfishes, part of the family Scorpaenidae. It is found in the northeastern Pacific Ocean.
Sebastes diploproa, the splitnose rockfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the subfamily Sebastinae, the rockfishes, part of the family Scorpaenidae. It is found in the northeastern Pacific Ocean.
Sebastes elongatus, the greenstriped rockfish, striped rockfish, strawberry rockfish, poinsettas, reina or serena, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the subfamily Sebastinae, the rockfishes, part of the family Scorpaenidae. It is found in the northeastern Pacific Ocean.
Sebastes ovalis, the speckled rockfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the subfamily Sebastinae, the rockfishes, part of the family Scorpaenidae. It is found in deep rocky areas of the Eastern Pacific.
Sebastes rubrivinctus, also known as the flag rockfish, Spanish flag, redbanded rockfish or barberpole, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the subfamily Sebastinae, the rockfishes, part of the family Scorpaenidae. It is found in the Eastern Pacific.
Sebastes melanostictus, the blackspotted rockfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the subfamily Sebastinae, the rockfishes, part of the family Scorpaenidae. It is found in the northern Pacific Ocean.
The darkblotched rockfish is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a rockfish belonging to the subfamily Sebastinae of the scorpionfish family Scorpaenidae. This is a deepwater species of the North Pacific Ocean.