Gopher rockfish
Encyclopedia
The gopher rockfish is a rockfish
of the Pacific
coast, primarily off California
.
Gopher rockfish have a generally mottled appearance, with dark areas generally olive to reddish brown, and the lighter areas being white or maybe pinkish. The upper part of the back almost always has three light patches extending into the dorsal fin
s, and the lighter areas become more extensive ventrally. They range in size up to about 40 cm.
They are known from as far north as Cape Blanco
in Oregon
, down to Punta San Roque in southern Baja California
. They can be found in the intertidal zone
, but most occur at depths of 12–80 metres, living in crevices and holes during the day, and ranging further abroad at night to feed on benthic crustacea, cephalopods, and some types of fishes. They are territorial, claiming an area of 10–12 square metres.
Gophers are extremely closely related to the black-and-yellow rockfish S. chrysomelas; S. chrysomelas is darker brown with yellow patches, and tends to prefer shallower water. While it was once thought that the black-and-yellow and gopher rockfish were merely color morphs of the same species, detailed genomic studies using microsatellite analysis have recently shown, however, that there is a significant amount of genetic difference between the two at loci that code for more than just coloration. This implies that they are indeed distinct, albeit closely related species, making them ideal specimens for studying sympatric evolution.
Sebastidae
Sebastidae is a family of marine fish in the order Scorpaeniformes. Their common names include rockfishes, thornyheads and rockcods. Despite the latter name, they are not closely related to the cods in the genus Gadus, nor the rock cod, Lotella rhacina.Not all authorities recognise this family as...
of the Pacific
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
coast, primarily off California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
.
Gopher rockfish have a generally mottled appearance, with dark areas generally olive to reddish brown, and the lighter areas being white or maybe pinkish. The upper part of the back almost always has three light patches extending into the dorsal fin
Dorsal fin
A dorsal fin is a fin located on the backs of various unrelated marine and freshwater vertebrates, including most fishes, marine mammals , and the ichthyosaurs...
s, and the lighter areas become more extensive ventrally. They range in size up to about 40 cm.
They are known from as far north as Cape Blanco
Cape Blanco (Oregon)
Cape Blanco is a prominent headland on the Pacific Ocean coast of southwestern Oregon in the United States, forming the westernmost point in the state. It contests with Cape Alava in Washington for the title of westernmost point in the contiguous United States...
in Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
, down to Punta San Roque in southern Baja California
Baja California
Baja California officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Baja California is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is both the northernmost and westernmost state of Mexico. Before becoming a state in 1953, the area was known as the North...
. They can be found in the intertidal zone
Intertidal zone
The intertidal zone is the area that is above water at low tide and under water at high tide . This area can include many different types of habitats, with many types of animals like starfish, sea urchins, and some species of coral...
, but most occur at depths of 12–80 metres, living in crevices and holes during the day, and ranging further abroad at night to feed on benthic crustacea, cephalopods, and some types of fishes. They are territorial, claiming an area of 10–12 square metres.
Gophers are extremely closely related to the black-and-yellow rockfish S. chrysomelas; S. chrysomelas is darker brown with yellow patches, and tends to prefer shallower water. While it was once thought that the black-and-yellow and gopher rockfish were merely color morphs of the same species, detailed genomic studies using microsatellite analysis have recently shown, however, that there is a significant amount of genetic difference between the two at loci that code for more than just coloration. This implies that they are indeed distinct, albeit closely related species, making them ideal specimens for studying sympatric evolution.