Zebraperch, Kyphosus azureus

Zebraperch, Kyphosus azureus, Juvenile. Fish caught from coastal waters in the greater San Diego, California area, October 2020. Length: 9.1 cm (3.6 inches).  Catch, photograph and identification courtesy of Ben Cantrell, San Diego, California.

Zebraperch, Kyphosus azureus, Juvenile. Fish caught from coastal waters off La Jolla, California, October 2020. Length: 9.1 cm (3.6 inches).  Catch, photographs and identification courtesy of Chris Moore, Peoria, Arizona.

Zebraperch, Kyphosus azureus. Underwater photograph taken in coastal waters in the greater San Diego, California area.  October 2020.  Photograph and identification courtesy of Ben Cantrell, San Diego, California.

The Zebraperch, Kyphosus azureus, is a member of the Sea Chub or Kyphosidae Family, and is known in Mexico as chopa azul and chopa bonita. Globally, there are eighteen species in the genus Kyphosus, of which eight are found in Mexican waters, one in the Atlantic, three in the Pacific and two in both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.

The Zebraperch has a deep compressed oval body that is 38% to 56% of standard length with larger fish having much deeper bodies than juvenile fish. They vary in color with some fish being dusky or olive to black dorsally and others being greenish or silvery-gray dorsally transitioning to white ventrally. They have five to ten grayish-brown vertical bars on the sides, a bright blue spot on the gill cover behind the eye and a black spot below the pectoral fin base which make for an easy identification. They have a short, pointed head with a small mouth with thick lips that opens in the front with small incisiform teeth. Their anal fin as 3 spines and 10 rays; their caudal fin is forked; their dorsal fin is continuous with 11 spines and 9 rays with the spiny dorsal having a much longer base than the soft dorsal; their pectoral fins are short; and, their and pelvic fins are short with their origin being behind the base of the pectoral fins. They have 15 to 17 gill rakers. They are covered with small, thick, rough scales.

The Zebraperch is found in small schools intertidally in shallow water environments around rocks and reefs at depths up to 8 m (25 feet). The juveniles are found in tidal pool and the adults are found in subtidal waters. They reach a maximum of 45 cm (18 inches) in length and 1.4 kg (3.0 lbs) in weight. They are herbivores consuming primarily red, brown, and green algae. The juveniles act as cleaner fish for Opaleye, Girella nigricans, and Shiner Perch, Cymatogaster aggregata. They are often mixed in with Halfmoon, Medianluna californiensis, Opaleye, and Panamic Sergeant Major, Abudefduf troschelii. They retreat and hide in crevices at night. Reproduction occurs via pelagic spawning. The Zebraperch 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 Zebraperch is a resident of Mexican waters if the Pacific Ocean but they have a limited distribution being found along the West Coast of the Baja being more common north of Punta Abreojos, Baja California Sur, and in the northern half of the Sea of Cortez.

The Zebraperch is a straightforward identification and cannot be confused with any other fish.

From a conservation perspective the Zebra Perch are currently considered to be of Least Concern, being common with a wide distribution and an increasing population. They are caught with light tackle with very small hooks baited with bloodworms, moss, mussels, and peas off most of the piers in Southern California. They are also caught via snagging. From shore they are a rare catch. They are not considered to be a quality food fish and retained only by subsistence fishermen.