42 
PACIFIC SCIENCE, Vol. XVIII, January 1964 
Fig. 1. An adult male (above) and two juveniles (below) Hypsypops rubicunda. The adult is bright 
orange while the young bear iridescent blue spots. 
Recorded Range 
They have been reported from Monterey, 
California (Girard, 1858), to Santa Maria Bay, 
Baja California (Fitch, 1953). The Monterey 
specimen was regarded as a product of a warm- 
ing cycle in our coastal waters (Hubbs, 1948); 
the species typically does not range much north 
of Point Conception. Extensive diving off the 
California and Baja California coasts as well as 
the offshore islands permits listing numerous 
specific areas in which adult and juvenile gari- 
baldis have been observed ( Table 1 ) . I noted 
adults from Naples, California, to Punta San 
Rosarita, Baja California, and from Santa Cruz 
Island to San Martin Island; while juveniles 
were seen from Malibu Beach, California, to 
Ensenada, Baja California, and from Santa Cata- 
lina Island to the Coronado Islands. 
Length 
The maximum length recorded for a garibaldi 
is 35.6 cm, or 14 inches (Barnhart, 1936; Roe- 
del, 1953). The largest specimen I collected 
was 29.3 cm, or 11.5 inches; it was taken in the 
northern portion of their range. They attain 
sexual maturity at about 20 cm, or 8 inches. 
Habitat 
Garibaldis prefer living over rocky bottoms 
on exposed or semiprotected coasts where the 
water is clear. They frequent rocky reefs having 
plenty of crevices and small caves for cover. On 
rare occasions individuals have been observed 
high on a column of the giant kelp, Macrocystis 
pyrifera, apparently searching for food. 
Adults have been observed in tide pools and 
