(Black rockfishes with weak head spines)
Light dusky rockfish
Another dusky rockfish picture
Body color: Gray to greenish brown on back and sides, darker blotches under soft dorsal fin; ventral sides and pectoral and pelvic fins tinged w/ pink; orange-red-brown flecks on sides. (Also see above underwater photo.)
|Maximum length: 17 in (53 cm)||Peritoneum color: light to dark|
|Maximum depth: 287 fm (525 m)||Shape between eyes: convex|
|Common depth: 55-164 fm (100-300 m)||Counts:
D:XIII,13-16, Ar:7-9, P1:17-19, GR:32-36,
LLp:45-52, LLs:47-58, V:28
Dark Dusky RF - mouth smaller, maxilla to midorbit, symphyseal knob small; peritoneum jet black; body uniform black or dark blue.
Black RF - anal-fin margin rounded w/ anterior slant; peritoneum light; spinous dorsal fin often w/ black spots; mandibular pores reduced (evident in Dusky RF); head spine count differs, spine 4 present.
Yellowtail RF - peritoneum light; head spine count differs; body w/ brassy wash; fins dusky yellow;dorsal rays typically 14 (typically 15 in Dusky RF).
Northern RF - typically 14 dorsal spines (typically 13 in Dusky RF); oblique light band on lower portion of pectoral fin (faint in Dusky RF).
Widow RF - anal-fin margin w/ strong posterior slant; head spine count differs; maxilla extends anterior to midorbit (maxilla extends to beyond midorbit in Dusky RF).
Distribution: Bering Sea - British Columbia