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Hyperprosopon argenteum

Walleye Surfperch
Collection Details

Specimens

Photos

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Records

Taxonomic Hierarchy

Actinopterygii (Ray-finned Fishes) Perciformes (Perciformes, Also Called the Acanthopteri) Embiotocidae (Surfperches) Hyperprosopon Hyperprosopon argenteum (Walleye Surfperch)

Description

This species account was compiled from FishBase (Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. 2025. FishBase. World Wide Web electronic publication. www.fishbase.org, version 04/2025.) and processed using AI-assisted text extraction. It may contain errors in spelling, punctuation, or formatting. When citing, please reference the original source rather than this page. Learn more about our species accounts.

Characters

Body shape: short and / or deep. Dark blue dorsally, sides and belly silvery with young having narrow golden vertical bars; tips of pelvic fins black; dusky on edge of caudal fin (Ref. 6885).

Distribution

Eastern Pacific: Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada to central Baja California in Mexico, including Guadalupe Island (off northern central Baja California).

Habitat Associations

Marine. demersal.

Biology

Live in surf on sand beaches and over sand near rocks, often around piers. Often occur in dense schools. Feed on small crustaceans. Viviparous, female carries the developing young (Ref. 205). Usually bear 5-12 young. An important game species.
Max length: 30.0 cm TL; max age: 6 years.
Reproductive mode: dioecism; fertilization: internal (oviduct); bearers (internal live bearers); parental care: maternal. Viviparous, female carries the developing young (Ref. 205).
IUCN Red List Status: N.E. (N.E.). Resilience: Medium (tm=1; tmax=6).

Commercial or Environmental Importance

Fisheries: commercial; gamefish.

References

Breder, C.M. and D.E. Rosen (1966) Modes of reproduction in fishes. T.F.H. Publications, Neptune City, New Jersey. 941 p.
Eschmeyer, W.N., E.S. Herald and H. Hammann (1983) A field guide to Pacific coast fishes of North America. Boston (MA, USA): Houghton Mifflin Company. xii+336 p.
Hart, J.L. (1973) Pacific fishes of Canada. Bull. Fish. Res. Board Can. 180:740 p.
Shanks, A.L. and G.L. Eckert (2005) Population persistence of California Current fishes and benthic crustaceans: a marine drift paradox. Ecol. Monogr. 75:505-524.

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