About Sebastes rosaceus Girard, 1854
Sebastes rosaceus, the rosy rockfish, is a relatively small species of rockfish. Its body depth is slightly more than one third of its standard length. It has a short, spine-covered head with a short snout, small terminal mouth, and large eyes that bulge above the dorsal profile of the head. The dorsal fin holds 13 or 14 spines and 11 to 14 rays; the anal fin has 3 spines and 5 to 7 soft rays. Its caudal fin is truncate. This species reaches a maximum total length of 36 cm (14 in). Its base color ranges from yellow to red to light pink, with purple stripes across the head and upper body. There are 4 to 6 nearly square-shaped white blotches positioned just underneath the dorsal fin, and fin membranes are pink and yellow. When caught, individuals typically quickly change color to a uniform deep red.
Rosy rockfish can be found as far north as Puget Sound, Washington, though its main range extends from central California to Guerrero Negro in Baja California Sur. It is a demersal fish that occurs at depths between 15 and 128 m (49 and 420 ft), and is most commonly found between 30 and 46 m (98 and 151 ft). It prefers hard substrates, including natural reefs and man-made structures such as pilings.
