Mottled soapfish (Rypticus bicolor)

Scientific name: Rypticus bicolor Valenciennes, 1846

Mottled soapfish (Rypticus bicolor)

The Mottled soapfish (Rypticus bicolor) is a marine fish of the family Serranidae. Native range: Eastern Pacific, Baja California to Peru, including the Galapagos and other offshore islands.

Biology

Dorsal spines (total): 3; Dorsal soft rays (total): 23-26; Anal soft rays: 16 - 18; Vertebrae: 24. Sides of body, excluding cheeks, mottled with cream to pale-brown blotches on dark background, reaching onto bases of median fins; blotches are poorly-defined and often coalescing. Body and head, excluding lips and maxillary, with embedded scales. Dorsal spines 3 (rarely 2). Lower jaw projecting, with prominent fleshy protuberance. Numerous, small pores, in patches, along ventral surface of lower jaw and on the free-edge of preopercle in > 6.5 cm SL specimens.

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name
Rypticus bicolor
Family
Serranidae (Sea basses: groupers and fairy basslets)
Order
Perciformes (Perch-like fish)
Class
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length
28.0
Depth range
3–68 m (10–223 ft)
Environment
Marine; reef-associated; depth range 3 - 68 m
Climate
Tropical
Distribution
Eastern Pacific: Baja California to Peru, including the Galapagos and other offshore islands.
Conservation status (IUCN)
Least Concern (LC)
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.

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