Species: Diplectrum maximum, Greater sand-perch, Torpedo sand-perch
operculum: dark blotch
Diplectrum maximum Hildebrand, 1946
Greater sand-perch, Torpedo sand-perch
Body elongate, moderately compressed; angle of preopercle a narrow, round-pointed bony spur with 4-8 large spines, width of spur < height of rest of upper part of rear border of preopercle; snout and between eyes scaleless; lateral line complete; scales moderately small, rough; lower jaw strongly projecting, tip joins forehead profile; 17-21 gill rakers; dorsal X, 12; anal III, 7 rays, 2nd spine about same length as 3rd; tail concave; 48-50 lateral line scales, 10-13 vertical rows scales on cheek.
Upper 2/3 of head and body dark greybrown, shading to white belly, throat, chest and under mouth; a large dark blue-grey blotch on upper operculum; upper body dark brown, with a pale stripe along mid-back; dorsal with bluegrey basal band, middle red-brown band, outer bluegrey band, margin red brown; tail dark greybrown, anal pale grey, front of pelvic dark grey; pectoral translucent yellowish brown. Juvenile with stronger colors; upper body dark brown, with a thin whitish stripe along the upper side, and a row of white blotches along the mid-side
Size: 39.5 cm.
Habitat: sand and mud bottoms.
Depth: 1-130 m.
Central California to the mouth of the Gulf of California to Peru.
High Resolution Map Download
- Salinity
-
- Marine
- Marine Only
- Inshore/Offshore
-
- Inshore
- Inshore Only
- Water Column Position
-
- Bottom
- Bottom only
- Habitat
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- Sand & gravel
- Soft bottom (mud/sand/gravel/beach/estuary/mangrove/seagrass)
- Mud
- Soft bottom only
- FishBase Habitat
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- Bentho-Pelagic
- Feeding Group
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- Carnivore
- No Data
- Diet
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- Mobile benthic crustacea (shrimps/crabs)
- Bony fishes
- No Data
- Egg Type
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- Pelagic larva
- No data
- Pelagic
- Global Endemism
-
- Tropical Eastern Pacific (TEP) endemic
- East Pacific endemic
- All species
- Regional Endemism
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- 3 provinces (Cortez + Mexican + Panamic) endemic
- All species
- TEP endemic
- Continental TEP endemic
- Continent
- Continent only
- Residency
-
- Resident
- Climate Zone
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- South Temperate (Peruvian Province )
- Equatorial (Costa Rica to Ecuador + Galapagos, Clipperton, Cocos, Malpelo)
- North Temperate (Californian Province &/or Northern Gulf of California)
- Northern Tropical (Mexican Province to Nicaragua + Revillagigedos)
- Northern Subtropical (Cortez Province + Sinaloan Gap)
- IUCN Red List
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- Least concern
- Listed
- CITES
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- Not listed
- Length Max
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- 39.5
- Depth Range Min
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- 1
- Depth Range Max
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- 130
