Bering poacher (Occella dodecaedron)

Scientific name: Occella dodecaedron Tilesius, 1813

The Bering poacher (Occella dodecaedron) is a marine fish of the family Agonidae. Native range: North Pacific, Kotzebue Sound to the northern Sea of Japan, Sea of Okhotsk and Akun Island in the Aleutian chain; and adjacent Arctic, including Gulf of Alaska.

Biology

Dorsal spines (total): 8 - 11; Dorsal soft rays (total): 6-9; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 13 - 16. Suprapectoral plates absent. Pectoral fin with 5 rows of blackish-brown spots. Resembles O. iburia in having blackish-brown spots on the pectoral fin, but differs by having no sub pectoral plate, 42 or fewer lateral line plates, and 30 to 37 supralateral plates.

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name: Occella dodecaedron
Family: Agonidae (Poachers)
Order: Scorpaeniformes (Scorpionfishes and Flatheads)
Class: Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length: 21.6
Depth range: 0–325 m (0–1066 ft)
Environment: Marine; demersal; depth range 0 - 325 m
Climate: Temperate
Distribution: North Pacific: Kotzebue Sound to the northern Sea of Japan, Sea of Okhotsk and Akun Island in the Aleutian chain; and adjacent Arctic, including Gulf of Alaska.
Conservation status (IUCN): Not Evaluated
Threat to humans: Harmless
Resilience: Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.)

Sources

Taxonomy, distribution and biology data: FishBase (Froese, R. and D. Pauly, eds.), licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Last updated 27 September 2026