48 
PACIFIC SCIENCE, Vol. XVIII, January 1964 
areas protected by large rocks. Yearling black- 
smiths are somewhat more solitary, seeking 
refuge in small caves and crevices. 
Food 
When larval fishes, small crustaceans, and 
young squid are abundant in the plankton, large 
schools of blacksmith, senoritas, and kelp top- 
smelt, Atherinops affinis cedroscensis, often in- 
tercept the inflowing current moving into a 
kelp bed. Screens of these fishes filter the tiny 
organisms from these currents; their activities 
probably materially affect the amount of plank- 
ton entering the kelp beds. 
Blacksmiths, as well as most of the other fishes 
of the kelp canopy, utilize the extremely abun- 
dant opossum shrimp, Mysidopsis calif ornica, 
for food. Hyale frequens and other small am- 
phipods also serve as their food. 
Predators 
A number of animals have been observed 
preying on blacksmiths: moray eels, Gymno- 
thorax mordax, kelp bass, Paralabrax clathratus , 
ling cod, Ophiodon elongatus, and Brandt’s cor- 
morants, Phalacro corax penicillatus. Their great 
abundance indicates that blacksmiths are prob- 
ably important forage fish. 
Parasites and Cleaning Symbiosis 
Juvenile pile perch, Damalichthys vacca, and 
senoritas have been observed cleaning parasites 
from them ( Limbaugh, 1955; 1961 a, b) . 
Fig. 8. A senorita ( Oxyjulis calif ornica) cleaning a Chromis punctipinnis. Other individuals are waiting 
to be cleaned. Note the awkward position assumed by the one being cleaned. (Photograph by Charles H. 
Turner, State of California Department of Fish and Game.) 
