Cape rockfish (Trachyscorpia eschmeyeri)

Scientific name: Trachyscorpia eschmeyeri Whitley, 1970

The Cape rockfish (Trachyscorpia eschmeyeri) is a marine fish of the family Sebastidae. Native range: Southeast Atlantic, Cape to St. Helena Bay in South Africa. Southwest Pacific: New Zealand.

Biology

Dorsal spines (total): 13; Dorsal soft rays (total): 8-9; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 5. Reddish in color. Confused with Helicolenus dactylopterus, but easily distinguished by shape of caudal fin and pectoral fin and number of rays in dorsal fin.

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name: Trachyscorpia eschmeyeri
Family: Sebastidae (Rockfishes, rockcods and thornyheads)
Order: Scorpaeniformes (Scorpionfishes and Flatheads)
Class: Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length: 35.0
Depth range: 450–1025 m (1476–3363 ft)
Environment: Marine; bathydemersal; depth range 450 - 1025 m
Climate: Deep-water
Distribution: Southeast Atlantic: Cape to St. Helena Bay in South Africa. Southwest Pacific: New Zealand.
Conservation status (IUCN): Not Evaluated
Threat to humans: Harmless
Resilience: Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 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