COMMON MARINE FISHES 



103 



Photo by J. B. Phillips 



STARRY ROCKFISH 



Sebastodes constellatus 



Relationship: A member of the rockfish family, Scorpaenidae. 



Distinguishing Characters: See page 94. The body covered with many small 

 pale dots ; the narrow concave space between the eyes ; the three to five whitish pink 

 blotches on the sides (these are found also on two other fairly common species, *§. 

 losaceus and the green-spotted rockfish, <S. chlorostictus) ; the white peritoneum. 

 Length to about 15 inches. Color: Orange to vermilion, shading into yellowish on the 

 sides and becoming white or pink below ; back sometimes with brownish blotches ; 

 spots and blotches as described above. 



Distribution: 

 ^p water. 



Cential California to central Lower California, usually in rather 



Fishing Season: Throughout the year. 



Importance: A minor commercial species. 



Fishing Gear: Lines, trawls. 



Unauthorized Names: Spotted rock cod, chinafish. scacciatale, red rock cod. 



