Species: Porichthys myriaster, Specklefin midshipman
D & pectoral - spots and bars
10-14 lower gill rakers
Porichthys myriaster Hubbs & Schultz, 1939
Specklefin midshipman
Body compressed, elongate; head a little flattened above, no tentacles;one solid spine on opercle; no subopercular spines; teeth like canines; 12 (10-14) lower gill rakers; first dorsal fin 2 solid spines, separate from second dorsal fin; second dorsal 31-32 rays; anal rays 37 (33-38); dorsal and anal fins not joined to tail; no scales; 4 lateral lines on body with light organs; lower lateral line ends ~ 10 pores BEFORE same line of light organs; row of light organs under each side of chin connected across front by a forward pointing U shaped row of light organs.
Iridescent purplish grey to brown above, yellowish below; when present 9-10 (8-12) saddles on upper body; top of head unmarked; pectoral and dorsal fins with small spots and bars; anal fin with dark to black margin in adults.
Size: 51 cm.
Habitat: mud and sand bottoms, around rocky areas as well.
Depth: 0-126 m, usually < 45m.
Point Arguello, California to Magdalena Bay, Baja California.
High Resolution Map Download
- Salinity
-
- Marine
- Marine Only
- Inshore/Offshore
-
- Inshore Only
- Inshore
- Water Column Position
-
- Bottom only
- Bottom
- Habitat
-
- Soft bottom (mud/sand/gravel/beach/estuary/mangrove/seagrass)
- Mud
- Sand & gravel
- Reef associated (reef + edges-water column & soft bottom)
- FishBase Habitat
-
- Demersal
- Feeding Group
-
- Carnivore
- No Data
- Diet
-
- Mobile benthic crustacea (shrimps/crabs)
- No Data
- Octopus/squid/cuttlefish
- Bony fishes
- Egg Type
-
- Brooded
- No data
- No pelagic larva
- No pelagic phase
- Global Endemism
-
- All species
- East Pacific endemic
- TEP non-endemic
- Regional Endemism
-
- Temperate Eastern Pacific, primarily
- All species
- Continent
- California province, primarily
- Continent only
- Tropical Eastern Pacific (TEP) non-endemic
- Residency
-
- Vagrant
- Climate Zone
-
- North Temperate (Californian Province &/or Northern Gulf of California)
- Northern Subtropical (Cortez Province + Sinaloan Gap)
- IUCN Red List
-
- Least concern
- Listed
- CITES
-
- Not listed
- Length Max
-
- 51
- Depth Range Min
-
- 0
- Depth Range Max
-
- 126
