Sebastes serriceps (Jordan & Gilbert, 1880)

Common Name and Body Shape

Sebastes serriceps, commonly called the treefish, has a robust, oblong-shaped body, with body depth equal to 36% to 40% of its standard length.

Head Morphology

Its head is covered in many spines, and it has a pointed snout, small eyes, and a medium-sized terminal mouth.

Fin Structure

The dorsal fin has 13 spines and 13 to 15 soft rays, while the anal fin has 3 spines and 5 to 7 soft rays.

Size and Weight

This species reaches a maximum total length of 41 cm (16 in) and a maximum published weight of 16 kg (35 lb).

Adult Color Pattern Details

Treefish have a distinctive color pattern: adult individuals have bright red lips.

Body Coloration

Their overall body color is yellow, marked with 6 black vertical bars and numerous white dots or dashes, and the margins of their scales are white.

Head Markings

The eye socket is vermilion, and two black bars radiate out from the eye.

Geographical Distribution

The treefish occurs in the eastern Pacific Ocean along the western coast of North America, ranging from Guerrero Negro in Baja California north to San Francisco, California.

Habitat and Depth Range

It is a demersal species that lives at depths between 5 and 90 m (16 to 295 ft), and can be found in exposed and sheltered rocky areas, as well as in kelp forests.