1. Aids to identification

2. Test and identification (concurrent)

- Display picture

- Record what you think it is

- Instant answer!

3. Discuss key characteristics

Make notes!

PISCO Fish ID Training

Aids to identification

1. Books

2. PPT and Cheat sheet

3. YOY identification flow diagram

Aids to identification

1. Humann, Paul. 1996. Coastal Fish Identifications: California

to Alaska. First Edition. New World Publications,

Jacksonville, FL.

2. Eschmeyer, W.N., E.S. Herald and H. Hammann. 1983. A Field

Guide to Pacific Coast Fishes of North America. First Edition.

Houghton Mifflin, Boston, MA (Peterson Guide)

3. Gotshall, D. 1989. Pacific Coast Inshore Fishes. Third

Edition. Sea Challengers, Monterey, California.

4. Miller, D. J. and R. N. Lea. 1972. Guide to the Coastal Marine

Fishes of California. California Fish Bulletin Number 157.

University of California.

Common name Code Freq Seen? Notes

blue rockfish Sebastes mystinus SMYS 3

kelp rockfish Sebastes atrovirens SATR 3

kelp surfperch Brachyistius frenatus BFRE 3

striped surfperch Embiotoca lateralis ELAT 3

senorita Oxyjulis californica OCAL 3

rockfish, OYT YOY Sebastes sp OYT 3

black rockfish Sebastes melanops SMEL 3

painted greenling Oxylebius pictus OPIC 3

pile surfperch Damalichthys vacca DVAC 3

black surfperch Embiotoca jacksoni EJAC 3

kelp greenling Hexagrammos decagrammus HDEC 3

olive rockfish Sebastes serranoides SSER 3

rockfish, KGB YOY Sebastes sp KGB 3

black & yellow rockfish Sebastes chrysomelas SCHR 3

blackeye goby Coryphopterus nicholsii CNIC 3

gopher rockfish Sebastes carnatus SCAR 2

bocaccio Sebastes paucispinis SPAU 2

rainbow surfperch Hypsurus caryi HCAR 2

gopher/B&Y Sebastes sp GBY 2

white surfperch Phanerodon furcatus PFUR 2

tubesnout Aulorhynchus flavidus AFLA 2

cabezon Scorpaenichthys marmoratus SMAR 2

rubberlip surfperch Rhacochilus toxotes RTOX 2

yellowtail rockfish Sebastes flavidus SFLA 2

lingcod Ophiodon elongatus OELO 2

kelp goby Lethops connectens LCON 2

sculpin, unidentified sp. COTT 2

canary rockfish Sebastes pinniger SPIN 1

bronzespotted rockfish Sebastes gilli SGIL 1

vermilion rockfish Sebastes miniatus SMIN 1

california sheephead Semicossyphus pulcher SPUL 1

pink surfperch Zalembius rosaceus ZROS 1

blacksmith Chromis punctipinnis CPUN 1

olive, yellowtail, black rockfish YOY OYB 1

kelp bass Paralabrax clathratus PCLA 1

copper rockfish Sebastes caurinus SCAU 1

pipefish, unidentified Syngnathus sp. SYNG 1

kelp clingfish Rimicola muscarum RMUS 1

kelpfish, unidentified sp. Gibbonsia species CLIN 1

grass rockfish Sebastes rastrelliger SRAS 1

coralline sculpin Artedius corallinus ACOR 1

rockfish YOY, unidentified RYOY 1

smelt, unidentified sp. ATHE 1

monkeyface-eel Cebidichthys violaceus CVIO 1

opaleye Girella nigricans GNIG 1

gunnel, unidentified sp. GUNN 1

Cheat sheet

Dusky pelvics, cf HCAR

Light lateral, large maxillary

Long soft dorsal cf RTOX

Black line base dorsal

Blue-red pelvics

Flesh colored blotches

Shorter soft dorsal, lips, bronzeYellow gill cover, speckles

Yellow YOYWhite lateral line

Brown spots on pink

White lateral, 1/3 posterior

Dark olive mottling, boofy head

Identification Review

1) Images of juveniles and adult life

stages

2) Distinguishing dimorphic sexes

3) Identifying key distinguishing

features

Blue Rockfish

Sebastes mystinus

SMYS

Blacksmith

Chromis punctipinnis

CPUN

Black Rockfish

Sebastes melanops

SMEL

Black rockfish, Sebastes melanops

OYT olive-yellowtail Complex

OYT olive-yellowtail Complex

OYT olive-yellowtail Complex

Olive Rockfish

Sebastes serranoides

SSER

Yellowtail Rockfish

Sebastes flavidus

SFLA

silvery ventral

reddish-brown speckling

Kelp Bass

Paralabrax clathratus, PCLA

Kelp Rockfish

Sebastes atrovirens

SATR

Grass Rockfish

Sebastes rastrelliger, SRAS

Grass Rockfish (juveniles)

Sebastes rastrelliger,

SRAS

Red eye

Black and Yellow Rockfish

Sebastes chrysomelas

SCHR

Black and Yellow Rockfish, Sebastes chrysomelas

Gopher Rockfish

Sebastes carnatus, SCAR

Gopher Rockfish

Sebastes carnatus, SCAR

Figurski

Copper Rockfish

Sebastes caurinus, SCAU

Figurski

KGB (C)

Kelp-Gopher-Black and Yellow (Copper) Complex

Kelp KGB

Johnson

Kelp rockfish YOYs

Gopher rockfish YOYs

Copper rockfish YOYs

Black & Yellow YOYs

KGB(C) YOYs

Quillback Rockfish

Sebastes maliger, SMAL

Rear half can be gray

to black with front of

body light brown and

yellow

Dorsal fin membrane

deeply incised

Top of

head flat

Only for north-central CA surveys

China Rockfish

Sebastes nebulosus, SNEB

China Rockfish

Sebastes nebulosus, SNEB

Bocaccio

Sebastes paucispinis, SPAU

Bocaccio, Sebastes paucispinis, SPAU

Canary Rockfish

Sebastes pinniger, SPIN

Canary Rockfish

Sebastes pinniger, SPIN

Vermilion Rockfish

Sebastes miniatus, SMIN

Vermilion Rockfish

Sebastes miniatus, SMIN

Black-eyed Goby

Rhinogobiops nicholsii

CNIC

Compare and contrast

Bay Goby, Lepidogobius lepidus

Rhinogobiops nicholsii

Senorita

Oxyjulis californica

OCAL

Ammann

Cabezon

Scorpaenichthys marmoratus, SMAR

Buffalo Sculpin

Enophrys bison, EBIS

north-central

CA

Red Irish Lord

Hemilepidotus hemilepidotus, HHEM

north-central CA

Sheephead

Semicossyphus pulcher, SPUL

Painted Greenling

Oxylebius pictus, OPIC

Kelp Greenling

Hexagrammos decagrammus, HDEC

female

male

Kelp Greenling

Hexagrammos decagrammus, HDEC

Kelp Greenling (juveniles)

Hexagrammos decagrammus, HDEC

Rock Greenling

Hexagrammos superciliosus, HSUP

More common in north-central CA

Lingcod

Ophiodon elongatus, OELO

Striped Surfperch

Embiotoca lateralis, ELAT

Striped Surfperch

Embiotoca lateralis, ELAT

Black Surfperch

Embiotoca jacksoni, EJAC

Black Surfperch (juveniles)

Embiotoca jacksoni, EJAC

Rainbow Surfperch

Hypsurus caryi, HCAR

Pile Surfperch

Rhacochilus vacca, RVAC

Rubberlip Surfperch

Rhacochilus toxotes, RTOX

Kelp Surfperch

Brachyistius frenatus, BFRE

White Surfperch

Phanerodon furcatus, PFUR

Shiner Surfperch

Cymatogaster aggregata, CAGG

Tubesnout

Aulorhynchus flavidus, AFLA

Opaleye

Girella nigricans, GNIG

© Janna Nichols

Halfmoon

Medialuna californiensis, MCAL

YOY identification flow chart

?

stubby bubby elongate

dorsal spot not dorsal spot not

deep-bodied juvenile rockfish

Figurski

deep bodied with dorsal spot

canary rockfish

Sebastes pinniger

SPIN

deep-bodied with no dorsal spot

maroon

bars

black edge

fins

on bottom near sandvermilion rockfish

Sebastes miniatus

SMIN

deep-bodied with no dorsal spot

kelp rockfish

Sebastes atrovirens

SATR

gopher or black and

yellow rockfish

GB

copper rockfish

Sebastes caurinus

SCAU

brown – white barringKGB(C)

elongate-bodied juvenile rockfish

elongate-bodied with dorsal spot

blue with maroon speckles brown color

blue rockfish

Sebastes mystinus

SMYS

elongate-bodied with dorsal spot

brown“uniform” brown

closely associated with giant kelp

counter shaded with white saddles

less associated with giant kelp

olive-yellowtail complex

OYT

black rockfish

Sebastes melanops

SMEL

OYTs on either side of a black YOY

elongate-bodied with no dorsal spot

brown saddles on

light shiny background

SMURF size

older: 9-10 cm

bocaccio

Sebastes paucispinis

SPAU

really long maxilla

light tan background

with dark brown mottling

Clear lateral line on bottom

Canary (SPIN)

Deep body Elongate body

Dorsal spot No spot Dorsal spot No spot

Solid red, black anal fin

Vermilion (SMIN)

Brown bars on light body

(KGB complex)

Clearing on lateral line

Copper (SCAU)

‘Y’ on 4th bar

Kelp (SATR)

Long maxilla

Bocaccio (SPAU)

Unidentified YOY

Maroon mottling

Blue (SMYS)

No white dorsal spots, clear

tail, uniform color

Black (SMEL)

White dorsal spots, yellow fins

(including pectoral)

Olive-yellowtail complex (OYT)

Juvenile rockfish identification guide

No ‘Y’, no clearing, but big

enough to have these markings

Gopher-Black/yellow (GBY)

The “Locals”

Juvenile rockfish identification guide

Deep body

Dorsal spot

Elongate body

No spot Dorsal spot No spot

Solid red, black anal fin

Vermilion (SMIN)

Brown bars on light body

(KGB complex)

Clearing on lateral line

Copper (SCAU)

‘Y’ on 4th bar

Kelp (SATR)

Long maxilla

Bocaccio (SPAU)

Maroon mottling

Blue (dorsal spot

in early stages) (SMYS)

No white dorsal spots, clear tail,

uniform color

Black (SMEL)

White dorsal spots, yellow fins

(including pectoral)

Olive-yellowtail complex (OYT)

No ‘Y’, no clearing, but big enough

to have these markings

Gopher-Black/yellow (GBY)

Clear lateral line on bottom

Canary (SPIN)

The “Locals”

Halfbanded rockfish - S. semicinctus

- no dorsal spot

- dark diamond

Stripetail rockfish - S. saxicola

- no dorsal spot

- inverted triangle

Juvenile rockfish ID guide for central CA kelp forests

The “Out-of-Towners”

aggregate in water column

Squarespot rockfish - S. hopkinsi

- no dorsal spot

- inverted triangle

Juvenile rockfish ID guide for central CA kelp forests

aggregate near bottom

The “Out-of-Towners”

Juvenile rockfish ID guide for central CA kelp forests

calico rockfish - S. dalli

- diagonal posterior

directed bar

- white/dark bars on

dorsal

brown rockfish - S. auriculatus

- no dorsal spot

- red eye

- spot on operculum

associate with bottom

The “Out-of-Towners”

THE

END

KGB(C) YOYs