California Corbina, Menticirrhus undulatus

California Corbina, Menticirrhus undulatus. Fish caught from coastal waters off Puerto Peñasco, Sonora, November 2021. Length: 22 cm (8.7 inches). Catch, photograph and identification courtesy of Luke Ovgard, Klamath Falls, Oregon.

California Corbina, Menticirrhus undulatus. Fish caught off the Pier, Oceanside, California, May 2006. Length: 35 cm (14 inches).

California Corbina, Menticirrhus undulatus. Fish caught from coastal waters off San Diego, California, May 2016. Length: 35 cm (14 inches). Catch, photograph and identification courtesy of Eli (obsessiveangling.wordpress.com).

California Corbina, Menticirrhus undulatus. Fish caught out from coastal waters off Ensenda, Baja California, August 2015. Photograph Illustrative of the distinct light and dark horizontal lines and dark saddles and blotches found in live Corbina. Photograph courtesy of Barry Mastro, Escondido, California.

The California Corbina, Menticirrhus undulatus, is a member of the Croaker or Sciaenidae Family, that is also known as the California Kingfish and the Gulf Whiting and in Mexico as berrugato Californiano. Globally, there are nine species in the genus Menticirrhus, of which eight are found in Mexican waters, three in the Atlantic and five in the Pacific Ocean.

The California Corbina has a slender elongated slightly compressed cylindrical-shaped body. They have a uniform dark metallic gray coloration that fades to whitish with iridescent reflections on their belly and creates wavy diagonal lines on their sides. Live fish often have numerous dark saddles and blotches. Their head is long and features a small mouth, a very short snout, and a single projecting barbel on their chin. Their anal fin has 1 weak spine and 7 to 9 rays; their caudal fin is “S-shaped” with a concave upper lobe and a convex lower lobe; and, their first dorsal fin has 10 or 11 spines and the first spines do not reach the origin of the second dorsal; and, their second dorsal fin has 1 spine and 23 to 27 rays. They have 9 to 18 gill rakers. Their body is covered with rough scales.

The California Corbina travel in small schools and are found along sandy beaches and shallow bays and piers at depths up to 20 m (65 feet). They reach a maximum of 84 cm (2 feet 9 inches) in length and 3.9 kg (8 lbs 8 oz). As of January 1, 2024, the International Game Fish Association world record stood at 56 cm (1 foot 10 inches) with the fish caught in coastal waters off Newport Beach, California in April 2015 and 3.6 kg (7 lbs 15 oz) with the fish caught within Mission Bay, San Diego, California in May 2004. They consume primarily the Coldwater Mole Crab, Emerita analoga and small amounts of other crustaceans and clams. Spawning begins in July and occurs via the release of pelagic eggs.

The California Corbina is a resident of Mexican waters of the Pacific Ocean but has a limited distribution being found from Magdalena Bay, Baja California Sur, northward along the central and northwest coasts of Baja; their presence has also been reported throughout the Sea of Cortez, however, this might be due to incorrect identifications.

The California Corbina can be confused with the Yellowfin Croaker, Umbrina roncador (two strong anal spines) and a series of other Croakers, including the Highfin Kingfish, Menticirrhus nasus, the Panama Kingfish, Menticirrhus panamensis, and the Slender Kingfish, Menticirrhus elongates, all of which are of the Genus Menticirrhus and all have first dorsal spines that reach the second dorsal fin origin, and a series of Corvina from the Cynoscion Genus, all of which lack a chin barbel.

From a conservation perspective the California Corbina has not been formally access and is currently considered to be Data Deficient. They are a favorite target of surf fishermen, primarily in Southern California between July and September, with annual catches of approximately 30,000 fish per year. They are difficult to hook and are caught with bottom rigs on sand crabs, blood worms, mussels, clams, and ghost shrimps on incoming tides. They are also an easy prey for spear fishermen and are also caught at a significant level as a by-catch by shrimp trawlers. Their food value varies – they are considered either an to be and excellent food fish or a marginal food fish. Some fish ingest toxins, which they retain. A ban on their commercial sale of the California Corbina has been in place since 1915.