Teleostei (teleosts) >
Ovalentaria/misc (Various families in series Ovalentaria) >
Embiotocidae (Surfperches)
Etymology: Amphistichus: Greek, amphi = on both sides + Greek, stix, -ichos = row (Ref. 45335); rhodoterus: From 'rodoteros' meaning rosy (Ref. 6885).
More on author: Agassiz.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; brackish; demersal; depth range 0 - 7 m (Ref. 2850). Temperate; 50°N - 34°N, 126°W - 119°W
Eastern Pacific: Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada to Avila Beach, central California, USA.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 41.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 2850); max. reported age: 9 years (Ref. 56049)
Dorsal spines (total): 9 - 10; Dorsal soft rays (total): 25 - 28; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 28 - 31. Caudal fin broadly forked (Ref. 6885). Generally silvery overlaid lightly with a brassy cast; light green above; sides with a series of about 9 to 11 narrow vertical dark bars, posteriorly, broken and staggered along the lateral line; caudal and anal fins red (Ref. 6885).
Body shape (shape guide): short and / or deep.
Adults are found in sand beaches in surf on exposed coast, sometimes in bays and backwaters (Ref. 2850). Viviparous, female carries the developing young (Ref. 205).
Viviparous, female carries the developing young (Ref. 205).
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; aquarium: public aquariums
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