Teleostei (teleosts) >
Perciformes/Scorpaenoidei (Scorpionfishes) >
Sebastidae (Rockfishes, rockcods and thornyheads) > Sebastinae
Etymology: Sebastes: Greek, sebastes = august, venerable (Ref. 45335); brevispinis: From the Latin brevis and spinus, meaning 'short' and 'spine' (Ref. 27436).
More on author: Bean.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; demersal; depth range 0 - 375 m (Ref. 6793). Subtropical; 60°N - 23°N, 178°W - 110°W
Northeast Pacific: Bering Sea coast of Alaska (Ref. 27436) to Baja California, Mexico.
Length at first maturity / Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm 46.0  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 71.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 2850); max. published weight: 4.7 kg (Ref. 40637); max. reported age: 82 years (Ref. 39247)
Dorsal spines (total): 13; Dorsal soft rays (total): 15 - 17; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 7 - 8. Head spines weak - nasal, preocular and parietal spines present, supraocular, postocular, tympanic, coronal and nuchal spines absent (Ref. 27437). Lower jaw long and protruding beyond upper jaw; distinct symphyseal knob; maxillary extends to rear of orbit (Ref. 27437). Caudal fin indented (Ref. 6885). Greenish to silver gray, white tinged with orange or pink ventrally; lips dusky (Ref. 27437).
Body shape (shape guide): fusiform / normal.
Occur just above the bottom, sometimes found in rocky caverns and crevices (Ref. 27436). Ovoviviparous (Ref. 6885). Rarely caught by anglers (Ref. 27436). Filleted and sold indiscriminately with other rockfish; flavor and texture of flesh particularly good (Ref. 27436).
Eschmeyer, W.N., E.S. Herald and H. Hammann, 1983. A field guide to Pacific coast fishes of North America. Boston (MA, USA): Houghton Mifflin Company. xii+336 p. (Ref. 2850)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2025-2)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: commercial; gamefish: yes
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