Surfperches
Striped seaperch, Embiotoca lateralis
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Actinopterygii Order: Perciformes Family: Embiotocidae
Genera
Amphistichus Brachyistius Cymatogaster Ditrema Embiotoca Hyperprosopon Hypsurus Hysterocarpus Micrometrus Neoditrema Phanerodon Rhacochilus Zalembius See text for species.

The surfperches are a family, Embiotocidae, of perciform fishes. They are found in coastal waters of the northern Pacific and grow up to 45 cm (17.7 inches) long.

They are viviparous fishes, in which the embryo is nourished directly by the mother as well as the yolk. This gives the family its scientific name, from Greek embios meaning "persistent" and tokos meaning "birth".

Species

There are 22 species in 13 genera:

• Genus Amphistichus
  • Barred surfperch, Amphistichus argenteus (Gibbons, 1854).
  • Calico surfperch, Amphistichus koelzi (Hubbs, 1933).
  • Redtail surfperch, Amphistichus rhodoterus (Agassiz, 1854).
• Genus Brachyistius
  • Brachyistius aletes (Tarp, 1952).
  • Kelp perch, Brachyistius frenatus Gill, 1862.
• Genus Cymatogaster
  • Shiner perch, Cymatogaster aggregata Gibbons, 1854.
• Genus Ditrema
  • Ditrema temminckii Bleeker, 1853.
  • Ditrema viride Oshima, 1955.
• Genus Embiotoca
  • Black perch, Embiotoca jacksoni Agassiz, 1853.
    

    Black surfperch (Embiotoca jacksoni) at the New England Aquarium.
  • Striped seaperch, Embiotoca lateralis Agassiz, 1854.
• Genus Hyperprosopon
  • Spotfin surfperch, Hyperprosopon anale Agassiz, 1861.
  • Walleye surfperch, Hyperprosopon argenteum Gibbons, 1854.
  • Silver surfperch, Hyperprosopon ellipticum (Gibbons, 1854).
• Genus Hypsurus
  • Rainbow seaperch, Hypsurus caryi (Agassiz, 1853).
• Genus Hysterocarpus
  • Tule perch, Hysterocarpus traskii Gibbons, 1854.
• Genus Micrometrus
  • Reef perch, Micrometrus aurora (Jordan & Gilbert, 1880).
  • Dwarf perch, Micrometrus minimus (Gibbons, 1854).
• Genus Neoditrema
  • Neoditrema ransonnetii Steindachner, 1883.
• Genus Phanerodon
  • Sharpnose seaperch, Phanerodon atripes (Jordan & Gilbert, 1880).
  • White seaperch, Phanerodon furcatus Girard, 1854.
• Genus Rhacochilus
  • Rubberlip seaperch, Rhacochilus toxotes Agassiz, 1854.
  • Pile perch, Rhacochilus vacca (Girard, 1855).
• Genus Zalembius
  • Pink seaperch, Zalembius rosaceus (Jordan & Gilbert, 1880).

References

• "Embiotocidae". FishBase. Ed. Rainer Froese and Daniel Pauly. January 2006 version. N.p.: FishBase, 2006.

Source: adapted by the editor from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia; from the article "Embiotocidae". Image Credit.

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