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UNDERWATER GUIDE TO MARINE LIFE 



CALIFORNIA JEWFISH: Stereolepis gigas 



Size: Up to 7 feet. 



Weight: Averages about 200 pounds. Up to 800 pounds. 



Distribution: Farallone Islands to southern California. 



Identification: The spiny dorsal fin is long and low and is separated from 

 the soft dorsal by a notch, which separates this fish from the otherwise very 

 similar spotted jewfish. Adults are a uniform greenish black to gray or brown. 

 The young are blotched and have light edges to the dorsal, anal, and tail 

 fins. This is one of the many species which undergoes great changes in shape 

 and coloration during growth (Walford, 1937). 



GROUPERS: Myctewperca, Efinepheliis and allied genera 



There are many very confusing species of these fishes which are hard to 

 identify. Ichthyologists separate the species by counting gill rakers, scales, and 

 fin rays. Field identification of groupers is a studv that has yet to be made in 

 detail. It is complicated by the fact that there are many species which have 

 very similar coloring. In addition, most of these have no one characteristic 

 coloration but go through a series of complex color phases, which may in some 

 cases adapt to environmental colors but often do not. Some of these color changes 

 are probably due to the excitement of capture or other disturbances. Red be- 

 comes a dominant color in deep water in many species. All groupers have 

 similar habits and are typical of rocky of coral areas in warm, mostly tropical 

 seas, staying near the bottom usually, lying up in coral and in the holes of 

 rocks or reefs. Their habits are similar to those of jewfishes, but their smaller 

 size leads to greater activity. The great curiosity of basses has been noted, and it is 

 probable that groupers surpass all other basses in this respect. It is virtually useless 

 trying to get close to groupers that have repeatcdlv experienced the spear fisher- 

 man, but they are easy to approach if they have been unmolested or have been 

 chummed. In relatively unfished areas in the Bahamas, the authors have fre- 

 quently had groupers rise out of the reefs to greet them. Like jewfishes, they 

 are not schooling, but will group together to feed or to spawn. 



The largest North American groupers reach 4 feet and 60 to 100 pounds. 



