Black-and-yellow rockfish (Sebastes chrysomelas) is a saltwater species recorded in the United States. It is mainly found over reef, rocky, seagrass, at depths of ≤ 37 m.
Scientific name: Sebastes chrysomelas · Water: Saltwater
Size: up to 39 cm
The black-and-yellow rockfish (Sebastes chrysomelas) is a Sebastidae rockfish whose mainly black or brown body is sprinkled with yellow to orange spots on the back over a pale belly, the scattered yellow patches being what separates it from the similar China rockfish. It is found from northern California to central Baja California, in waters of roughly 11–21 °C, inhabiting intertidal zones and shallow water down to about 37 m around rocky areas, reefs, kelp beds, and in holes and cracks in rock. It is aggressive towards other species and pushes the gopher rockfish out of shallower water, and its mating begins in late January to February with spawning from February to July, young settling in kelp beds in June. In the United States it is a regular shallow-water catch for California anglers fishing rocky structure from boats and from shore, and it averages around 39 cm.
The head carries five pairs of large spines, and the body is squat, compact and spiny. The anal fin has three spines and six or seven soft rays, and the pectoral fins, which have a fleshy look, carry 17 or 18 rays. Faint dark stripes run around the eyes and the lower lip is dark grey. It is a solitary, sedentary fish, most active at twilight, and once it establishes a home it is highly territorial and seldom moves more than about 2 km from it. It is viviparous and gives birth to live young: females mature between three and six years and males between three and four, and females carry fertilised eggs for one to two months, typically from October, before releasing them as pelagic larvae.
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