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Dusky rockfish (Sebastes ciliatus) — Sebastidae

Dusky rockfish

Sebastes ciliatus
Family: Sebastidae
LC · Least Concern

The Dusky rockfish (Sebastes ciliatus) is a saltwater fish of the family Sebastidae that grows up to 53 cm.

Length
53 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
5.0–160.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Small groups
Activity
Diurnal
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom
Danger
Venomous / poisonous
Edibility
Commonly eaten

Description

The dusky rockfish is a rockfish from the northern Pacific, from the Bering Sea to the Gulf of Alaska and British Columbia. The species grows to about 53 cm and has a stocky, dark-brown to grey-green body. It lives over rocky bottoms of cold water and hunts zooplankton, small fish and crustaceans. Like all rockfishes it has venomous fin spines. It is a commercial food fish and is assessed as Least Concern (LC) by the IUCN.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Dusky rockfish?

The Dusky rockfish has a torpedo-shaped body, is mainly brown and shows a plain pattern.

Where does the Dusky rockfish live?

The Dusky rockfish lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around sand or mud bottom.

How big does the Dusky rockfish get?

The Dusky rockfish grows to a maximum of about 53 cm.

Is the Dusky rockfish dangerous to humans?

The Dusky rockfish is venomous — handle spines with care and seek medical help after a sting if needed.

Is the Dusky rockfish edible?

Yes, the Dusky rockfish is commonly eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Donkere roodbaars verified
English name
Dusky rockfish verified
Scientific name
Sebastes ciliatus
Family
Sebastidae
Other names
Dark rockfish; Dusky rockfish verified

Appearance

Size class
Large verified
Max length (cm)
53.0 verified
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped sourced
Dominant colour
Brown inferred
Pattern
Plain sourced
Tail shape
Straight inferred
Mouth position
Terminal sourced
Lips
Thin sourced
Barbels
No sourced
Dorsal fins
One continuous sourced
Dorsal spines
Yes sourced

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom sourced
Min depth (m)
5.0 verified
Max depth (m)
160.0 verified
Origin
Native verified

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore sourced
Social behaviour
Small groups sourced
Territorial
No sourced
Activity
Diurnal sourced
Reproduction
Separate sexes sourced
Sexual dimorphism
No sourced
levensduur_max_jaar
67.0 verified

For anglers

Edibility
Commonly eaten sourced
Fishing method
Bodemvissen op rotsbodem sourced
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Venomous / poisonous verified

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

Same genus Sebastes

More from the family Sebastidae

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