Order

Perciformes/Cottoidei

  Class

Teleostei

No. in FishBase

Genera : 3 | Species : 9 Eschmeyer's Catalog of Fishes

  Environment

Fresh : No | Brackish : No | Marine : Yes

  Division

Marine

  Aquarium

none

  First Fossil Record

     

  Remark

Distribution: Endemic to the North Pacific Ocean, primarily in subarctic and temperate waters, with one species (Hexagrammos stelleri) also occurring in the Arctic Ocean. No spines on the upper part of the head. One or two fleshy cirri above each eye in most species. Body moderately elongate and compressed. Single dorsal fin; usually notched. Spines on dorsal fin 16-28; soft rays 11-30. Anal fin long based, with up to 4 spines which in most species are rudimentary, and 12-28 soft rays. Pelvic fins with 1 spine and 5 soft rays. One pair of nostrils. Anterior nostrils well developed. Posterior nostrils pore-like or absent. Scales ctenoid, except cycloid in Ophiodon elongatus. One or five lateral lines. Teeth typically small, present on jaws and vomer; present also on palatines on some species. Gill membranes broadly joined and free of the isthmus with gill openings not extending far forward, or gill membranes joined to each other only anteriorly and free of the isthmus with gill openings extending far forward. Branchiostegal rays 6. Swim bladder absent. Vertebrae 36-62. Coloration is highly variable in some species and frequently differs by sex, size, geographic locality and local habitat. Reaches 1.52 m maximum length (in Ophiodon elongatus). Marine; intertidal to depth of 600 m or more, most species typically found shallower than 200 m on the continental shelf. Demersal except for Atka mackerels, Pleurogrammus, which as adults are pelagic. Diet includes various prey such as crabs, amphipods, polychaetes, juvenile fishes and fish eggs. Maximum length about 60 cm, most species reaching less. Zaniolepis was recognized in its own family in Eschmeyer (1998). Subfamilies: Hexagramminae (greenlings); Ophiodontinae (lingcods); Oxylebiinae (painted greenlings); Pleurogramminae (Atka mackerels); Zaniolepidinae (combfishes). Also Ref. 7463.

  Etymology

Greek, exa = six + Greek, gramma = sign, some graphic mark ( Ref. 45335).

  Reproductive guild

guarders

  Typical activity level

normal

  Main Ref.

Mecklenburg, C.W. and W.N. Eschmeyer 2003

  Coordinator

  Deep Fin Classification

Osteichthyes | Actinopterygii | Actinopteri | Neopterygii | Teleostei | Osteoglossocephalai | Clupeocephala | Euteleosteomorpha | Neoteleostei | Eurypterygia | Ctenosquamata | Acanthomorphata | Acanthopterygii | Percomorphaceae | Eupercaria | | | Perciformes | Cottoidei | Hexagrammales | Hexagrammidae