Walleye Surfperch

TAXONOMY:

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Perciformes

Family: Embiotocidae (surfperches)

 

Genus/species: Hyperprosopon argenteum

 

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS: Thin-bodied, football-shaped profile with large eyes (about 1/3 of head length. Silver, often with bluish or greenish tints; may display dusky bars and black edges on caudal and anal fins. The caudal (tail) fin is forked. Dorsal fins are continuous, not notched and the pelvic fins have black tips.

 

Length up to 30 cm (12 in)

 

DISTRIBUTION/HABITAT: H. argenteum are found from Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada to central Baja California, Mexico. They are located in the surf on sand beaches and over sand near rocks, to 18 m (60 ft) often in dense rapidly swimming schools.

 

DIET IN THE WILD: Small crustaceans.

 

REPRODUCTION: Fertilization internal. Viviparous; bear 5–12 young; newborns about 3.8 cm long.

 

LONGEVITY: To 6 years.

 

CONSERVATION: IUCN: Not evaluated.

 

REMARKS: Walleye Surfperch are important commercial and sport fish.

 

References

 

Ron's Wordpress shortlink wp.me/p1DZ4b-1jZ

 

California Academy of Sciences Steinhart Aquarium California Rocky Coast 2017

 

PacificCoast Fishes Eschmeyer and Herald, Easton Press 1983, page 230

 

fishbase www.fishbase.org/summary/3631

 

Ron's flickr www.flickr.com/photos/cas_docents/4330632348/in/set-72157...

 

CA Dept. of Fish and Wildlife www.dfg.ca.gov/marine/sfmp/surfperch-id.asp

 

eol eol.org/pages/207481/details

 

10-4-12, 8-4-17

Done