Shorefishes of the Eastern Pacific online information system

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Species: Rypticus courtenayi, Revillagigedos soapfish, Socorro soapfish

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tan, cream spots upper body & operculum, fins dark
juv: spotted, fins white edges, dark lines behind eye
D: II
chin rounded, no fleshy tip
preopercle and lower jaw - evenly spread small pores

Rypticus courtenayi McCarthy, 1979

Socorro soapfish, Revillagigedos soapfish

Elongate, very compressed; forehead oblique; lower jaw only slightly projecting, sometimes with fleshy point; pores along lower surface of lower jaw with numerous, evenly spread; numerous small pores along entire edge of preopercle; simple teeth in bands on jaws; 2 pairs of nostrils, anterior tubular; simple teeth in bands on jaws; 2-3 spines on preopercle; 3 spines on operculum; gill rakers 8 (7-9); gill opening restricted above, most of upper part of operculum bound to body by skin; dorsal fin II (rarely III) spines, 23-26 rays; anal fin without spines , 15-17 rays; pectoral rays 14-16; median fins thick, fleshy; rounded tail and pectoral fins; scales imbedded.

Body and fins tan; upper body with small, well defined cream spots, concentrated anteriorly; on head spots only on upper operculum; usually no spots on fins; juvenile: dark brown; cream spots in same pattern as adult; median fins dark brown, with thin white margins; cream stripe along nape; 2-3 irregular, broken dark lines behind eye to edge of operculum.

Size: 24 cm.

Habitat: rocky reef.

Dept: 5-20 m.

Endemic to the Revillagigedos Islands.


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Salinity
  • Marine Only
  • Marine
Inshore/Offshore
  • Inshore
  • Inshore Only
Water Column Position
  • Bottom
  • Bottom only
Habitat
  • Rocks
  • Reef associated (reef + edges-water column & soft bottom)
  • Reef (rock/coral/oyster)
  • Reef only
FishBase Habitat
  • Reef Associated
Feeding Group
  • Carnivore
  • No Data
Diet
  • No Data
  • Bony fishes
Egg Type
  • Pelagic
  • Pelagic larva
  • No data
Global Endemism
  • East Pacific endemic
  • Tropical Eastern Pacific (TEP) endemic
  • All species
Regional Endemism
  • TEP endemic
  • TEP oceanic island (s) endemic
  • Island (s)
  • Island (s) only
  • Revillagigedo Islands endemic
  • All species
Residency
  • Resident
Climate Zone
  • Northern Tropical (Mexican Province to Nicaragua + Revillagigedos)
IUCN Red List
  • Vulnerable
  • Listed
CITES
  • Not listed
Length Max
  • 24
Depth Range Min
  • 5
Depth Range Max
  • 20