Monkeyface prickleback (Cebidichthys violaceus) is a saltwater species recorded in the United States. It is found at depths of 0–24 m.
Scientific name: Cebidichthys violaceus · Water: Saltwater
Size: up to 76 cm
The monkeyface prickleback is a demersal cebidichthyid of shallow rocky areas and tide pools, from the intertidal zone down to 24 m, ranging from southern Oregon to northern central Baja California and rare south of Point Conception. It may remain out of water under rocks or seaweed: it breathes air and can stay out of water for 15 to 35 hours if kept moist, and it feeds mainly on crustaceans and algae. It is a demersal spawner and is oviparous, maturing at about 41 cm, with a maximum length of about 76 cm total length and a lifespan of 18 years. It is commonly caught by poke-poling, a method using a long bamboo pole with a very short wire leader and a baited hook, and it is good eating. It is taken in subsistence fisheries, is a gamefish and is a commercial aquarium fish. Fishing vulnerability is moderate to high at 54 of 100 and resilience medium.
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