Honeycomb Rockfish, Sebastes umbosus
Honeycomb Rockfish, Sebastes umbosus. Fish provided by the commercial fishermen of the greater San Diego area, San Diego, California, October 2014. Length: 18 cm (7.1 inches).
Honeycomb Rockfish, Sebastes umbosus. Fish caught from coastal waters off San Diego, California, December 2020. Length: 20 cm (7.9 inches). Catch, photograph, and identification courtesy of Josh Leisen (joshadventures.com), Gaylord, Michigan.
Honeycomb Rockfish, Sebastes umbosus. Fish caught from coastal waters off Ejido Eréndira, Baja California, February 2015. Catch, photograph and identifications courtesy of Chris Wheaton, Fullerton, California.
Honeycomb Rockfish, Sebastes umbosus. Fish caught from coastal waters off San Quintin, Baja California, February 2020. Catch, photograph and identifications courtesy of Chris Wheaton, Fullerton, California.
The Honeycomb Rockfish, Sebastes umbrosus, is a member of the Rockfish and Scorpionfish or Scorpaenidae Family, and is known in Mexico as rocote panal. Globally, there are one hundred eight species in the genus Sebastes, of which fifty-three are found in Mexican waters, all in the Pacific Ocean.
The Honeycomb Rockfish has a compact squat body with a width that is 35% to 39% of standard length. They are covered with spines. They have a tan, brown, or reddish brown coloration with 4 to 6 white blotches randomly spaced above their lateral line. Their scales are edged with dark brown or green below the lateral line giving them a honeycomb appearance after which they are named. Their back has brownish or greenish-brown patches or smudges. Their head is mid-length with a short snout, disproportionately large eyes, and a small terminal mouth. Their anal fin has 3 spines and 5 to 7 rays; their caudal fin is straight; their dorsal fin has 12 to 14 spines and 11 to 13 rays; and their pectoral fins have 15 to 18 rays. They have 31 to 38 gill rakers and their body is covered with scales.
The Honeycomb Rockfish is a demersal species found as solitary individuals within boulders and cobblestone bottoms at depths between 18 m (60 feet) and 271 m (890 feet). They are normally mixed in with Freckled Rockfish, Greenspotted Rockfish, Rosy Rockfish, and Squarespot Rockfish. They reach a maximum length of 28 cm (11 inches). As of January 1, 2023, the International Game Fish Association world record stood at 0.57 kg (1 lb 4 oz) with the fish caught in coastal waters off San Martin Island, Baja California Sur in October 2000. They feed on zooplankton including amphipods, copepods, crustacean larva, and krill. Reproduction is oviparous with each female releasing pelagic eggs. They have a lifespan of up to 31 years. The Honeycomb Rockfish is poorly studied with very limited information available about their lifestyle and behavioral patterns including specific details on age, growth, longevity, movement patterns, diet, habitat use, and reproduction.
The Honeycomb Rockfish is a resident of Mexican waters of the Pacific Ocean but has a limited distribution being found only from Alijos Rocks, Baja California, northward along the central and northwest coasts of Baja.
The Honeycomb Rockfish is easily confused with the Freckled Rockfish, Sebastes lentiginosus (prominent dentigerous knobs on upper jaw; lacks honeycombing on sides).
From a conservation perspective the Honeycomb Rockfish has not been formally evaluated. They are a small component of the commercial fishery being sold in Asian markets in Southern California. They are caught with some regularity by recreational fishermen but are typically discarded due to their small stature.