Barred Surfperch, Amphistichus argenteus

Barred Surfperch, Amphistichus argenteus. Fish caught from coastal rocks of Newport Beach, Newport Beach, California, December 2022. Length: 14 cm (5.5 inches). Catch, photograph and identification courtesy of  Luke Ovgard, Klamath Falls, Oregon.

Barred Surfperch, Amphistichus argenteus. Fish caught off the Oceanside Pier, Oceanside, California, April 2006. Length: 15.0 cm (5.9 inches).

Barred Surfperch, Amphistichus argenteus. Fish caught off the beach in Cardiff, California, July 2016. Length: 24.0 cm (9.4 inches). Catch, photograph, and identification courtesy of Ben Cantrell, Peoria, Illinois.

The Barred Surfperch, Amphistichus argenteus, is a member of the Surfperch or Embiotocidae Family, and is known in Mexico as mojarra de bandas. Globally, there are three species in the genus Amphistichus, and all three are found in Mexican waters of the Pacific Ocean and all three are found within this website.

The Barred Surfperch have highly compressed deep oval body with a depth that is 42% to 46% of standard length. They are predominantly silver with a series of eight to ten olive green to yellow stripes along their flanks. Keys to identification are the series of spots between the bars on their sides, their uniform fin color, and the lack of spots on their fins. Their head is blunt with a large mouth and a long lower jaw. Their anal fin has 3 or 4 spines and 24 to 29 rays; their caudal fin is forked; their dorsal fin is continuous with 9 to 11 spines and 19 to 28 soft rays; and, their pectoral fins have 25 to 28 rays. They have 17 to 21 gill rakers. Their body is covered with small scales.

The Barred Surfperch is a non-migratory species that normally spend their entire lives within a two-mile area. They are found in the surf zone and inhabit bays and inlets with sand or rubble bottoms where they congregate in depressions and are found at depths up to 80 m (260 feet). They are also known to enter brackish estuaries. Females are much larger than males, reaching a maximum of 43 cm (17 inches) in length and 2.0 kg (4.5 lbs) in weight, while males reach a maximum of 30 cm (12 inches) in length. As of January 1, 2024, the International Game Fish Association world record stood at 2.15 kg (4 lbs 12 oz) with the fish caught in coastal waters off Guadalupe, California in June 2016. They consume sand crabs and smaller quantities of other crabs and clams. Reproduction is viviparous with mating commencing in November followed by a five or six-month gestation period. Each female produces four to one hundred thirteen fry that are 6.4 cm (2.5 inches) in length. Females have lifespans of up to nine years; males of up to six years.

The Barred Surfperch is a resident of Mexican waters of the Pacific Ocean but has a limited distribution being found only from Guerrero Negro, Baja California, northward along the central and northwest coasts of Baja.

The Barred Surfperch is most likely confused with the Redtail Surfperch, Amphistichus rhodoterus (shorter dorsal rays than dorsal spines; dark fins).

From a conservation perspective the Barred Surfperch has not been formally evaluated. Although they are small in stature, they are considered to be an excellent food fish. They are an important target of commercial fishermen providing 25% of California’s commercial perch catch, averaging 6 tons annually. They are also commonly caught out of the surf by recreational anglers fishing incoming tides inside the breaker zone and utilizing sand crabs as bait.