Teleostei (teleosts) >
Ovalentaria/misc (Various families in series Ovalentaria) >
Embiotocidae (Surfperches)
Etymology: Hyperprosopon: Greek, hyper = over + Greek, prosopon = face, snout of animal (Ref. 45335).
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; demersal; depth range ? - 18 m (Ref. 2850). Subtropical; 52°N - 26°N, 130°W - 113°W
Eastern Pacific: Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada to central Baja California in Mexico, including Guadalupe Island (off northern central Baja California).
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 30.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 2850); max. reported age: 6 years (Ref. 56049)
Live in surf on sand beaches and over sand near rocks, often around piers. Often occur in dense schools. Feed on small crustaceans. Viviparous, female carries the developing young (Ref. 205). Usually bear 5-12 young. An important game species.
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
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