Narrative

Rainbow surf perch (Hyposurus caryi) is found from northern California south to Baja California. This surfperch is normally much less than 12 inches in length. This species shows some blue on the head. There is red along the dorsal side, and there are some red bars that extend partially down the side.

This lifeform is marine and found only in salt water.

This lifeform is found in the Pacific Ocean off California, Oregon, & Washington

The surfperch family is found in the northern Pacific Ocean. (One species is found in fresh water.) There are two species found near Japan and Korea. The rest are found along the shores of western North America. There are between 19 and 21 species in this family. These fish are shaped like the American bluegill. The dorsal fins are continuous. Most surfperches give birth to living young. They are compressed and most species are less than one foot in length. However, there are several species that can reach about 18 inches. These fish can live in the surf, and are frequently caught from the shore by hook and line. There is an excellent series of pictures in the Burgess-Axelrod book on California and West Mexico fish.

Perch-like Fish, Order Perciformes, are the largest order of fish in both freshwater and shallow saltwater. Most of the conventional fish belong to this order. The bass, bluegills, perch and crappies of freshwater plus the groupers and sea bass of salt water belong to this order. The fish all have spiny rays in their fins and the tail fin has seventeen rays. There are approximately 150 families. Herein, we have placed the families in alphabetical sequence within this order. (In some instances the typical taxonomic sequence of families is not much help. Consider, for example, that the barracudas are usually placed between the mullets and the threadfins.)

Bony fish, Class Teleostomi, are a class of chordates that include the majority of fish-like animals found on earth. They are characterized by a bony jaw and a bony skeleton. They are found in both fresh and marine waters.

Backboned Animals (Phylum Chordata) are the most advanced group of animals on earth. These animals are characterized by having a spinal cord or backbone. Most members have a clearly defined brain that controls the organism through a spinal cord. Fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals are in this phylum.

Currently, some taxonomists believe that the fish should be divided into two groups (sharks and regular fishes) and that there are some other primitive groups in the phylum such as hagfish or lampreys.