Animalia Life

Hypsurus caryi
FAMILY
Embiotocidae
TAXONOMY
Embiotoca caryi Agassiz, 1853, San Francisco Bay, California, United States.
OTHER COMMON NAMES
English: Rainbow surfperch; Spanish: Perca.
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
Maximum length 11.8 in (30 cm). Deep bodied and laterally compressed, lateral line scales uninterrupted. Red and blue stripes on body and about 10 reddish brown bars on upper part of flanks. Pelvic and anal fins reddish orange with blue edges.
DISTRIBUTION
Pacific coast from Cape Mendocino, California, United States, to Isla San Martin, Baja California.
HABITAT
Around rocky shores, reefs, piers, and kelp beds, to depths of 132 ft (40.2 m).
BEHAVIOR
In the fall, gathers in large aggregations prior to breeding; females move into shallow coastal waters to give birth the following summer. Sometimes function as cleaner for other fishes by picking off parasites.
FEEDING ECOLOGY AND DIET
Feeds during day; eats mostly amphipods and copepods. Described as an oral winnower, meaning it takes mouthfuls of sand or turf, selectively removes food items, and spits out the remainder.
REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY
Viviparous; nutrient and gas exchange occurs between mother and the developing embryos. Females gravid from April until mid-September, and carry 9–22 young. Juveniles born at lengths of about 2.7 in (6 cm). Males develop swelling in tissues surrounding first anal fin spine during breeding, creating an intromittent (copulatory) organ used in internal fertilization. After mating, sperm are stored for several months in female’s ovarian cavity prior to fertilization.
CONSERVATION STATUS
Not listed by the IUCN.
SIGNIFICANCE TO HUMANS
Minor commercial importance as food fishes.

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