Teleostei (teleosts) >
Perciformes/Zoarcoidei (Eelpouts and pricklebacks) >
Stichaeidae (Pricklebacks) > Chirolophinae
Etymology: Chirolophis: Greek, cheir = hand + Greek, lophos = crest (Ref. 45335).
More on authors: Jordan & Williams.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; demersal; depth range 20 - 80 m (Ref. 51666). Temperate
Eastern Pacific: Aleutian Islands, Alaska to San Miguel Island, southern California, USA.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 15.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 2850)
Dorsal spines (total): 53 - 55; Dorsal soft rays (total): 0; Anal spines: 1; Anal soft rays: 37 - 42. Caudal rounded (Ref. 6885). Color variable- males brownish, sometimes with a red tinge; pale spots rimmed with darker on sides of body; spots fainter, smaller, and more numerous dorsally on sides; light on lower part of head with several brown streaks; white on pelvic fins and anterior part of anal fin; other fins with brown pigment spots in bands forming faint bars. Females nearly plain brown on body; in line spread along middle of dorsal fin about 13 dark spots each surrounded by a clear area to form prominent ocelli (Ref. 6885).
Body shape (shape guide): elongated.
Usually in intertidal and subtidal rocky areas (Ref. 2850, 51666). Sometimes hides in crevices and tubeworms holes with only head protruding (Ref. 2850).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Eschmeyer, W.N., E.S. Herald and H. Hammann, 1983. A field guide to Pacific coast fishes of North America. Boston (MA, USA): Houghton Mifflin Company. xii+336 p. (Ref. 2850)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2025-2)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: commercial; aquarium: commercial
Tools
Special reports
Download XML
Internet sources
