Fish Taxonomy (Second Half)

Hypomesus nipponensis (wakasagi)

pelvic fin begins a little bit before the dorsal fin, maxillary does not extend past the midpoint of the eye, size of eye big relative to the depth of the caudal peduncle

Hypomesus pretiosus (surf smelt)

pelvic fin begins under dorsal fin, maxillary does not extend past middle of eye, thick stripe along body

Spirinchus starski (night smelt)

lower jaw projects slightly in front of upper jaw, long upper jaw to posterior edge of eye, pectoral fins do not reach pelvic fin origin

Spirinchus thaleichthys (longfin smelt)

lower jaw protrudes, teethe on tongue vomer palatines and both jaws, long pectoral fins that reach pelvic fin origin

Allosmerus elongatus (whitebait smelt)

vomer tooth, eye diameter usually about equal to depth of caudal peduncle, lateral line incomplete

Thaleichthys pacificus (eulachon)

have squalene deposits, striations on operculum, oily texture on scales

Coryphaenoides acrolepis (Pacific grenadier)

snout edged with large scutes, single barbel on chin, long pointy tail

Merluccius productus (Pacific hake)

2 dorsal fins, big mouth and eyes, square cut caudal fin

Gadus chalcogrammus (Walleye pollock)

3 dorsal fins, 2 anal fins, upper jaw not projecting

Microgadus proximus (Pacific tomcod)

3 dorsal fins, 2 anal fins, single barbel on chin

Porichthys notatus (plainfin midshipman)

has bioluminescent photophores, photophores form sharp “V” on ventral side, pectoral fins broad

Gibbonsia metzi (striped kelpfish)

really long dorsal fin, crown at beginning of dorsal fin, rectangular shaped body

Gobiesox maeandricus (northern clingfish)

pelvic and pectoral fins modified into suction cup, bar/line across eyes, round body

Clevelandia ios (arrow goby)

fused pelvic fins, big mouth, mouth extends extremely well past the eye

Eucyclogobius newberryi (tidewater goby)

mouth does extend past the eye but not as extreme, pair of pores between its eyes, eyes big and close to the snout

Lepidogobius lepidus (bay goby)

fused pelvic fins to form cone, black spot at base of tail only (female) black spot both behind pectoral fin and base of tail (male), closely set eyes

Rhinogobiops nicholsii (blackeye goby)

black eyes, black tip on dorsal fin, blue spot beneath each eye

Atherinops affinis (topsmelt)

5-8 scales between dorsal fin, anal fin insertion directly under the first dorsal fin, dorsal fins close together

Atherinopsis californiensis (jacksmelt)

10-12 scales between dorsal fin, anal fin insertion behind the first dorsal fin, dorsal fins far apart

Menidia beryllina (inland silverside)

rows of tiny dots under caudal peduncle, anal fin insertion directly under the first dorsal fin, caudal fin slightly forked

Gambusia affinis (western mosquitofish)

teardrop shape under eye, gonopodium in males (elongated rays of the anal fin), guppy-like body

Trachurus symmetricus (jackmackerel)

dark spots on gill cover, scutes along entire lateral line, lateral line arches over pectoral fin

Citharichthys sordidus (pacific sanddab)

sinistral, folded pectoral reaches eye, straight lateral line

Citharichthys stigmaeus (speckled sanddab)

sinistral, folded pectoral fin doesnt reach eye, specks

Paralichthys californicus (California halibut)

hook on mouth, lateral line arches high over pectoral fin, caudal fin with upper and lower indentation

Hippoglossus stenolepis (Pacific halibut)

large mouth, lateral line arches over pectoral fin, caudal fin slightly indented

Atheresthes stomias (arrowtooth flounder)

big mouth with big teeth, eye visible from blind side, dextral

Eopsetta jordani (Petrale sole)

large teeth and mouth, eye not visible from blind side, dextral

Glyptocephalus zachirus (rex sole)

dextral, small mouth, long black-tipped pectoral fin (pointed)

Platichthys stellatus (starry flounder)

both dextral and sinistral, stripes on all fins except the pectoral fin, diamond shaped body

Lyopsetta exilis (slender sole)

slender body, hook on jaw, short black-tipped pectoral fin

Pleuronichthys coenosus (C-O turbot)

googly eyes, dorsal rays on blind side do not reach mouth, dextral

Pleuronichthys decurrens (curlfin turbot)

googly eyes, dorsal fin rats begin on blind side, dextral and sinistral

Parophrys vetulus (English sole)

pointed snout, eye visible from blind side, right eyed fish

Psettichthys melanostichus (sand sole)

first 3-4 rays free, dextral, distinctive pattern of speckles

Iopsetta isolepis (butter sole)

1-2 dorsal rats on blind side, eye not visible from blind side, dextral

Microstomus pacificus (dover sole)

small mouth, black coloration on tip of dorsal fin, round black pectoral fin