Family: Agonidae, Poachers view all from this family
Description To 12" (30 cm). Elongate, tapering, caudal peduncle long, slender; gray-brown above, light yellow to orange below, orange spot under each eye, dark saddles across back. Snout long, sharp; mouth ventral, with patch of long yellow to cream cirri in front and at corners. 2 projecting rostral spines, widely separated. Pelvic fin with 1 spine, 2 rays; 16-18 pectoral soft rays. 2 dorsal fins; 6-9 anal fin rays; caudal fin rounded. 4 rows of bony plates on each side.
Related Species Northern Spearnose Poacher (Agonopsis vulsa) lacks large, yellow cirri on snout; mouth terminal; 2 projecting rostral spines close together; occurs from se. Alaska to Point Loma, California. Rockhead (Bothragonus swani) has deep pit on head behind eyes; body deep robust; occurs from Kodiak Island, Alaska, to Lion Rock, California. Warty Poacher (Occella verrucosa) has terminal mouth; pelvic fins as long as pectoral fins in males; 15 pectoral fin soft rays; knobby, platelike scales on breast in front of pelvic fins; occurs from Shelikof Strait, Alaska, to Point Montara, California. Pygmy Poacher (Odontopyxis trispinosa) has upright rostral spines; shallow pit on top of head behind eyes; occurs from se. Alaska to Isla Cedros, Baja California. Pricklebreast Poacher (Stellerina xyosterna) has terminal mouth; breast smooth with minute spines; 17-19 pectoral soft rays; occurs from Queen Charlotte Islands, British Columbia, to Bahia San Carlos, Baja California. All in similar habitat.
Habitat In shallow water over soft bottoms and on reefs to 30 fathoms.
Range From Bering Sea to Eureka, California.
Discussion This fish, rarely caught by anglers, is often netted by trawlers, but not kept.
