Kingdom Animalia Order Scorpaeniformes Genus Sebastes Higher classification Rockfish | Phylum Chordata Family Sebastidae Scientific name Sebastes aleutianus Rank Species | |
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Similar Rockfish, Shortraker rockfish, Pacific ocean perch, Redbanded rockfish, Shortspine thornyhead | ||
The rougheye rockfish (Sebastes aleutianus) is a rockfish of the genus Sebastes. It is also known as the blackthroat rockfish or the blacktip rockfish and grows to a maximum of about 97 cm (38 in) in length, with the IGFA record weight being 14 lb 12 oz (6.7 kg). Similar to many other members of its genus, it is extremely long-lived, and has been known to reach an age of 205 years.
Contents
Rougheye rockfish fillets global seafoods
Description
The rougheye rockfish is so-named because of the ten or so spines found on the lower eyelid. It is pink, tan or brownish with irregular patches of brown of darker color and often a darker patch at the back of the operculum. The posterior part of the lateral line is often pink. An average adult size is about 80 cm (31 in).
Distribution and habitat
Rougheye rockfish are deepwater fish, and exist between 31° and 66° latitude, in the North Pacific, and specifically along the coast of Japan to the Navarin Canyon in the Bering Sea, to the Aleutian Islands, all the way south to San Diego, California. It is found between 150 and 450 m (492 and 1,476 ft), with larger fish living in deeper water than smaller ones. The temperature at these depths range from 31.4 to 41 °F (−0.3 to 5.0 °C). These fish live near the seabed over boulders and rocks surrounded by soft substrates and in caves and crevices.
Behaviour
At some times of year the rougheye rockfish forms schools but during much of the year, larger fish are solitary or roam in small groups. It is among the most long-lived of fish species and individuals are believed to attain an age of over two hundred years. These fish feed on shrimps, crabs, fish, amphipods and mysids. This species is oviparous and spawns between the months of February and June or sometimes between October and January.
