Calico Surfperch, Amphistichus koelzi
Calico Surfperch, Amphistichus koelzi. Fish caught from coastal waters off Santa Cruz, California, June 2008. Length: 18 cm (7.1 inches). Catch, photograph and identification courtesy of Eli (obsessiveangling.wordpress.com).
Calico Surfperch, Amphistichus koelzi. Fish caught off the beach at Bookings, Oregon, October 2008. Length: 20 cm (7.9 inches). Catch, photograph and identification courtesy of Luke Ovgard, Klamath Falls, Oregon.
The Calico Surfperch, Amphistichus koelzi, is a member of the Surfperch or Embiotocidae Family, and is also known as the Humpback Perch, the Porgee and the Surf Perch and in Mexico as mojarra angaripola. 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 Calico Surfperch have highly compressed deep oval body with a depth that is 54% to 58% of standard length. They are predominantly silver with brassy tones. Dorsally they are bluish or olivaceous and their lower head and lower anterior parts of the body are tinged in red. Their sides have a series of brown speckles that form rough vertical bars that are broken and disconnected. Their pectoral fins are plain and their other fins are reddish. Their head is small, with small eyes and smaller terminal mouth with the lower edge of the eye extending below the upper lip (a key to their identification). Their anal fin has 3 spines and 25 to 32 rays; their caudal fin is forked; their dorsal fin is continuous with 9 to 11 spines and 24 to 28 soft rays with the longest dorsal spine being longer than the longest dorsal ray (a key to their identification); and, their pectoral fins have 25 to 29 rays. They have 21 to 26 gill rakers of which 14 to 18 are on the lower limb (a key to their identification). Their body is covered with small scales.
The Calico Surfperch is a non-migratory species demersal species that are found in small schools in the surf off sandy beaches from the intertidal zone to depths up to 9 m (30 feet). They reach a maximum of 33 cm (13 inches) in length and 0.9 kg (2 lbs 0 oz) in weight. As of January 1, 2023, the International Game Fish Association world record stood at 0.91 kg (2 lbs 0 oz) with the fish caught in coastal waters off Morro Bay, California in February 2006. They consume crustaceans and benthic invertebrates. Reproduction is viviparous with an extensive gestation period and numerous live miniature adults born in the spring. They have lifespans of six years.
The Calico 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 Calico Surfperch is very similar to and often confused with the Redtail Surfperch, Amphistichus rhodoterus (elongated body profile; lack vertical bars on their sides and their dorsal spines and rays are of equal length).
From a conservation perspective the Calico Surfperch is currently considered to be of Least Concern with stable, widely distributed populations. There is some concern about their long-term viability due to human coastal developments that pollute their environments. They are targeted by both commercial fishermen and recreational anglers and the number one pier fish in Central and Northern California. They are relatively small in stature and of limited interest to most. From a human food perspective, they are considered to be of marginal food value.