Sebastes maliger (Jordan & Gilbert, 1880)

Size and Weight

Description The quillback rockfish, Sebastes maliger, has a maximum recorded total length of 61 cm (24 in) and a maximum recorded weight of 3.3 kg (7.3 lb).

Head Spines

Its head is protected by strong spines: nasal, preocular, postocular, tympanic, and parietal spines are present, while supraocular, coronal, and nuchal spines are absent.

Fin Structure

Its dorsal fin has 13 spines and between 12 and 14 soft rays; its anal fin has 3 spines and 6 or 7 soft rays. The dorsal fin spines are very long, and the membranes between these spines are deeply incised.

Body Coloration

The overall body color ranges from brown to black; on the anterior part of the body, this dark base color is interrupted by yellow to white spots and irregular markings that extend downward from the back. The body color becomes progressively darker toward the posterior.

Fin Coloration

Dorsal fin spines are white or pale yellow, and may have dark brown or black markings.

Head Speckling

In some areas, this species has brown or orange speckling on the head that extends from the nape to the area underneath the pectoral fins.

Geographic Range

Distribution and habitat The quillback rockfish occurs along the Pacific coast of North America, ranging from the Gulf of Alaska to the northern Channel Islands of Southern California.

General Habitat

Like other rockfish species, quillback rockfish are bottom-dwelling, perching on rocks or hiding in rock crevices. Juveniles mainly stay along shore in reefs, sandy areas, and eelgrass, while adults live in deeper water.

Social Behavior

Most quillback rockfish are solitary and are rarely found in groups. They are seldom found in the open ocean, and generally prefer to stay close to kelp, rocks, or coral, or shelter inside crevices or holes.

Territoriality

Despite this sheltering behavior, they are not territorial.

Population Density Correlates

High population densities of this species typically correspond to areas of peak plant growth.

Habitat Variability

This species occupies a variety of habitats across many areas of the west coast of North America.

Migratory Behavior

Depending on location, quillback rockfish are minimally to moderately migratory.

Home Range Size

On the high-relief rocky reefs of Puget Sound, Washington, individuals maintain small home ranges of 30 square meters. On low-relief reefs, individuals may stay within a larger area ranging from 400 to 1500 square meters.

Seasonal Movement

They sometimes move seasonally to low-relief reefs during the summer, when kelp is present there.