Sebastes is a genus of fish in the family Sebastidae (though some include this in Scorpaenidae), most of which have the common name of rockfish. A few are called ocean perch, sea perch or redfish instead. Most of the Sebastes species live in the north Pacific, although two (Sebastes capensis and Sebastes oculatus) live in the south Pacific/Atlantic and four (Sebastes fasciatus, Sebastes mentella, Sebastes norvegicus and Sebastes viviparus) live in the north Atlantic. The coast off South California is the area of highest rockfish diversity, with 56 species living in the Southern California Bight.
The fossil record of rockfish goes back to the Miocene, from California and Japan (although fossil otoliths from Belgium, "Sebastes" weileri, may push the record back as far as the Oligocene).
Rockfish are an important sport and commercial fish, and many species have been overfished. As a result, seasons are tightly controlled in many areas. Sebastes are sometimes fraudulently substituted for the more expensive Lutjanus campechanus.
Ecology
Rockfish range from the intertidal zone to almost 3,000 metres (9,800Â ft) deep, usually living benthically on various substrates, often (as the name suggests) around rock outcrops. Some rockfish species are very long-lived, amongst the longest-living fish on earth, with several species known to surpass 100 years of age, and a maximum reported age of 205 years for Sebastes aleutianus.
Ecotoxicology, radioecology
Like all carnivores, these fish can bioaccumulate some pollutants or radionuclides such as cesium. Highly radioactive rockfish have been caught in a port near Fukushima city, Japan, not far from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, nearly two years after the nuclear disaster (ex: 107000 Bq/kg (2013-02-12)Â ; 116000 Bq/kg (2013-02-13) and 132000Bq/kg (2013-02-13), respectively 1070, 1160 and 1320 times more than the maximum allowed by Japanese authorities (as updated on April 1, 2012)
Species
There are currently 109 recognized species in this genus:
- Sebastes aleutianus (D. S. Jordan & Evermann, 1898) (Rougheye rockfish)
- Sebastes alutus (C. H. Gilbert, 1890) (Pacific Ocean perch)
- Sebastes atrovirens (D. S. Jordan & C. H. Gilbert, 1880) (Kelp rockfish)
- Sebastes auriculatus Girard, 1854 (Brown rockfish)
- Sebastes aurora (C. H. Gilbert, 1890) (Aurora rockfish)
- Sebastes babcocki (W. F. Thompson, 1915) (Redbanded rockfish)
- Sebastes baramenuke (Wakiya, 1917)
- Sebastes borealis Barsukov, 1970 (Shortraker rockfish)
- Sebastes brevispinis (T. H. Bean, 1884) (Silvergray rockfish)
- Sebastes capensis (J. F. Gmelin, 1789) (Cape redfish)
- Sebastes carnatus (D. S. Jordan & C. H. Gilbert, 1880) (Gopher rockfish)
- Sebastes caurinus J. Richardson, 1844 (Copper rockfish)
- Sebastes chlorostictus (D. S. Jordan & C. H. Gilbert, 1880) (Greenspotted rockfish)
- Sebastes chrysomelas (D. S. Jordan & C. H. Gilbert, 1881) (Black-and-yellow rockfish)
- Sebastes ciliatus (Tilesius, 1813) (Dusky rockfish)
- Sebastes constellatus (D. S. Jordan & C. H. Gilbert, 1880) (Starry rockfish)
- Sebastes cortezi (Beebe & Tee-Van, 1938) (Cortez rockfish)
- Sebastes crameri (D. S. Jordan, 1897) (Darkblotched rockfish)
- Sebastes dallii (C. H. Eigenmann & Beeson, 1894) (Calico rockfish)
- Sebastes diaconus Frable, D. W. Wagman, Frierson, A. Aguilar & Sidlauskas, 2015 (Deacon rockfish)
- Sebastes diploproa (C. H. Gilbert, 1890) (Splitnose rockfish)
- Sebastes elongatus Ayres, 1859 (Greenstriped rockfish)
- Sebastes emphaeus (Starks, 1911) (Puget Sound rockfish)
- Sebastes ensifer L. C. Chen, 1971 (Swordspine rockfish)
- Sebastes entomelas (D. S. Jordan & C. H. Gilbert, 1880) (Widow rockfish)
- Sebastes eos (C. H. Eigenmann & R. S. Eigenmann, 1890) (Pink rockfish)
- Sebastes exsul L. C. Chen, 1971 (Buccaneer rockfish)
- Sebastes fasciatus D. H. Storer (fr), 1854 (Acadian redfish)
- Sebastes flammeus (D. S. Jordan & Starks, 1904)
- Sebastes flavidus (Ayres, 1862) (Yellowtail rockfish)
- Sebastes gilli (R. S. Eigenmann, 1891) (Bronzespotted rockfish)
- Sebastes glaucus Hilgendorf, 1880 (Gray rockfish)
- Sebastes goodei (C. H. Eigenmann & R. S. Eigenmann, 1890) (Chilipepper rockfish)
- Sebastes helvomaculatus Ayres, 1859 (Rosethorn rockfish)
- Sebastes hopkinsi (Cramer, 1895) (Squarespot rockfish)
- Sebastes hubbsi (Matsubara, 1937)
- Sebastes ijimae (D. S. Jordan & Metz, 1913)
- Sebastes inermis G. Cuvier, 1829 (Japanese red seaperch)
- Sebastes iracundus (D. S. Jordan & Starks, 1904)
- Sebastes itinus (D. S. Jordan & Starks, 1904)
- Sebastes jordani (C. H. Gilbert, 1896) (Shortbelly rockfish)
- Sebastes joyneri Günther, 1878 (Togot seaperch, or Offshore seaperch)
- Sebastes kiyomatsui Y. Kai & Nakabo, 2004
- Sebastes koreanus I. S. Kim & W. O. Lee, 1994
- Sebastes lentiginosus L. C. Chen, 1971 (Freckled rockfish)
- Sebastes levis (C. H. Eigenmann & R. S. Eigenmann, 1889) (Cowcod)
- Sebastes longispinis (Matsubara, 1934)
- Sebastes macdonaldi (C. H. Eigenmann & Beeson, 1893) (Mexican rockfish)
- Sebastes maliger (D. S. Jordan & C. H. Gilbert, 1880) (Quillback rockfish)
- Sebastes matsubarai Hilgendorf, 1880
- Sebastes melanops Girard, 1856 (Black rockfish)
- Sebastes melanosema R. N. Lea & Fitch, 1979 (Semaphore rockfish)
- Sebastes melanostictus (Matsubara, 1934) (Blackspotted rockfish)
- Sebastes melanostomus (C. H. Eigenmann & R. S. Eigenmann, 1890) (Blackgill rockfish)
- Sebastes mentella Travin, 1951 (Deepwater redfish)
- Sebastes miniatus (D. S. Jordan & C. H. Gilbert, 1880) (Vermilion rockfish)
- Sebastes minor Barsukov, 1972
- Sebastes moseri Eitner, 1999 (Whitespeckled rockfish)
- Sebastes mystinus (D. S. Jordan & C. H. Gilbert, 1881) (Blue rockfish)
- Sebastes nebulosus Ayres, 1854 (China rockfish)
- Sebastes nigrocinctus Ayres, 1859 (Tiger rockfish)
- Sebastes nivosus Hilgendorf, 1880
- Sebastes norvegicus (Ascanius, 1772) (Golden redfish)
- Sebastes notius L. C. Chen, 1971
- Sebastes nudus Matsubara, 1943
- Sebastes oblongus Günther, 1877
- Sebastes oculatus Valenciennes, 1833 (Patagonian redfish)
- Sebastes ovalis (Ayres, 1862) (Speckled rockfish)
- Sebastes owstoni (D. S. Jordan & W. F. Thompson, 1914)
- Sebastes pachycephalus Temminck & Schlegel, 1843
- S. p. chalcogrammus Matsubara, 1943
- S. p. nigricans (P. Y. Schmidt, 1930)
- S. p. pachycephalus Temminck & Schlegel, 1843
- Sebastes paucispinis Ayres, 1854 (Bocaccio rockfish)
- Sebastes peduncularis L. C. Chen, 1975
- Sebastes phillipsi (Fitch, 1964) (Chameleon rockfish)
- Sebastes pinniger (T. N. Gill, 1864) (Canary rockfish)
- Sebastes polyspinis (Taranetz & Moiseev, 1933) (Northern rockfish)
- Sebastes proriger (D. S. Jordan & C. H. Gilbert, 1880) (Redstripe rockfish)
- Sebastes rastrelliger (D. S. Jordan & C. H. Gilbert, 1880) (Grass rockfish)
- Sebastes reedi (Westrheim & Tsuyuki, 1967) (Yellowmouth rockfish)
- Sebastes rosaceus Ayres, 1854 (Rosy rockfish)
- Sebastes rosenblatti L. C. Chen, 1971 (Greenblotched rockfish)
- Sebastes ruberrimus (Cramer, 1895) (Yelloweye rockfish)
- Sebastes rubrivinctus (D. S. Jordan & C. H. Gilbert, 1880) (Flag rockfish)
- Sebastes rufinanus R. N. Lea & Fitch, 1972 (Dwarf Red rockfish)
- Sebastes rufus (C. H. Eigenmann & R. S. Eigenmann, 1890) (Bank rockfish)
- Sebastes saxicola (C. H. Gilbert, 1890) (Stripetail rockfish)
- Sebastes schlegelii Hilgendorf, 1880 (Korean rockfish)
- Sebastes scythropus (D. S. Jordan & Snyder, 1900)
- Sebastes semicinctus (C. H. Gilbert, 1897) (Halfbanded rockfish)
- Sebastes serranoides (C. H. Eigenmann & R. S. Eigenmann, 1890) (Olive rockfish)
- Sebastes serriceps (D. S. Jordan & C. H. Gilbert, 1880) (Treefish)
- Sebastes simulans (T. N. Gill, 1864)
- Sebastes simulator L. C. Chen, 1971 (Pinkrose rockfish)
- Sebastes sinensis (C. H. Gilbert, 1890) (Blackmouth rockfish)
- Sebastes spinorbis L. C. Chen, 1975
- Sebastes steindachneri Hilgendorf, 1880
- Sebastes taczanowskii Steindachner, 1880 (White-edged rockfish)
- Sebastes thompsoni (D. S. Jordan & C. L. Hubbs, 1925)
- Sebastes trivittatus Hilgendorf, 1880
- Sebastes umbrosus (D. S. Jordan & C. H. Gilbert, 1882) (Honeycomb rockfish)
- Sebastes variabilis (Pallas, 1814) (Light dusky rockfish)
- Sebastes variegatus Quast, 1971 (Harlequin rockfish)
- Sebastes varispinis L. C. Chen, 1975
- Sebastes ventricosus Temminck & Schlegel, 1843 (Japanese black seaperch)
- Sebastes viviparus Krøyer, 1845 (Norway redfish)
- Sebastes vulpes Döderlein (de), 1884 (Fox jacopever)
- Sebastes wakiyai (Matsubara, 1934)
- Sebastes wilsoni (C. H. Gilbert, 1915) (Pygmy rockfish)
- Sebastes zacentrus (C. H. Gilbert, 1890) (Sharpchin rockfish)
- Sebastes zonatus L. C. Chen & Barsukov, 1976
References
