Family: Scorpaenidae, Scorpionfishes view all from this family
Description To 3' (91 cm). Elongate, fusiform, compressed; brown to dusky red or bronze above, lighter below; young have dark brown spots. Snout sharp; lower jaw projects beyond upper; head convex between eyes; 3 pairs of head spines, not prominent; maxilla extends beyond eye; 28-31 gill rakers. Dorsal fin continuous, deeply notched, spiny portion longer-based, with incised membranes. Usually 9 anal fin soft rays; caudal fin slightly forked.
Warning The dorsal and anal fins contain mildly venomous spines.
Related Species Silvergray Rockfish (S. brevispinis) has body dark gray above, silvery below; 4 pairs of head spines, not prominent; occurs at 17-200 fathoms from Bering Sea to Santa Barbara Island, California. Bronzespotted Rockfish (S. gilli) has brown spots on back; usually 8 anal fin soft rays; occurs at 41-205 fathoms from Monterey Bay, California, to Ensenada, Baja California. Chilipepper (S. goodei) has bright red stripe along lateral line; maxilla not reaching rear edge of eye; usually 8 anal fin soft rays, occurs to 180 fathoms from Cape Scott, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, to Bahia Magdalena, Baja California. All in similar habitat.
Habitat Adults over rocky reefs and soft bottom to 175 fathoms. Juveniles around shallow reefs and in bays.
Range From Kodiak Island, Alaska, to Punta Blanca, Baja California.
Discussion A single Bocaccio female will release 20,000 to 2,000,000 larvae in the winter. This species feeds on a variety of fishes, crabs, and squids. Small numbers are taken by ocean anglers.
