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Species: Diplectrum pacificum, Inshore sand-perch, Pacific sand-perch

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pink blotch over origin A
C top edge red, bottom white, rows orange spots
preopercle spur: square, not deep, 5-8 spines
cheek 10-14 rows scales
gill rakers 15-24
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This Species (6) This Genus (9) Similar Species (5)

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Diplectrum pacificum Meek & Hildebrand, 1925

Pacific sand-perch, Inshore sand-perch

Moderately elongate and slender; angle of preoperculum a bluntly rounded bony spur with 5-8 long spines, height of spur ~equal to height of upper part of rear edge of preopercle; gill rakers 15-24 (usually 15-22); dorsal rays X, 12-13; anal rays III,7-8; pectoral rays 16-18 (usually 17); snout and between eyes scaleless; scales moderately small, rough; pored lateral-line scales 47-51; midlateral scale rows 58-74; predorsal scales 11-19; 10-14 vertical scale rows on cheek.

Juveniles generally whitish with blackish midlateral stripe connected to intense black blotch on middle of caudal fin base; a second more diffuse blackish stripe on upper back; stripes of adults less apparent and replaced to certain extent by diffuse greyish bars; snout and cheek with orange spots; a large pale pink blotch on abdomen above and behind anus; top border of tail red, lower border white.

Grows to 29.1 cm.

Inhabits mud-sand bottoms, sometimes close to weed-covered rocky reefs, but most frequently in 15- 30m. This is the most common shallow-water species in the region.

Depth: 1-90 m.

Southern Baja California and the Gulf of California to Peru.

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Species Data Create Report Export as Word File Export as Excel File
Salinity
  • Marine
  • Brackish
Inshore/Offshore
  • Inshore Only
  • Inshore
Water Column Position
  • Bottom
  • Bottom only
Habitat
  • Sand & gravel
  • Mud
  • Soft bottom only
  • Soft bottom (mud/sand/gravel/beach/estuary/mangrove/seagrass)
FishBase Habitat
  • Demersal
Feeding Group
  • Data
  • Carnivore
Diet
  • Bony fishes
  • Mobile benthic crustacea (shrimps/crabs)
  • Data
Egg Type
  • No data
  • Pelagic larva
  • Pelagic
Global Endemism
  • Tropical Eastern Pacific (TEP) endemic
  • All species
  • East Pacific endemic
Regional Endemism
  • All species
  • 3 provinces (Cortez + Mexican + Panamic) endemic
  • Continent only
  • Continent
  • TEP endemic
  • Continental TEP endemic
Residency
  • Resident
Climate Zone
  • Northern Tropical (Mexican Province to Nicaragua + Revillagigedos)
  • Equatorial (Costa Rica to Ecuador + Galapagos, Clipperton, Cocos, Malpelo)
  • North Temperate (Californian Province &/or Northern Gulf of California)
  • South Temperate (Peruvian Province )
  • Northern Subtropical (Cortez Province + Sinaloan Gap)
IUCN Red List
  • Least concern
  • Listed
CITES
  • Not listed
Length Max
  • 29.1
Depth Range Min
  • 1
Depth Range Max
  • 90