rockfish

rockfish, member of the family Sebastidae (rockfishes) according some authorities, but also classified as a member of the family Scorpaenidae (scorpionfishes, lionfishes, and rockfishes) by other authorities, carnivorous fish inhabiting all seas and especially abundant in the temperate waters of the Pacific. Rockfishes are found among rocks and reefs. Of commercial importance are the black and orange rockfishes and the bocaccio of the Pacific coast and the rose fish (called also redfish and red, or ocean, perch) of the Atlantic. In the West Indies are found the lionfishes (see lionfish) and the scorpionfishes, the latter vividly marked in red, blue, and green and equipped with poisonous dorsal fin spines, which have venom glands in their grooves. The name rockfish is also applied to various other fishes that frequent rocky places. The unrelated striped bass is sometimes called rockfish. Rockfishes and scorpionfishes are classified in the phylum Chordata, subphylum Vertebrata, class Actinopterygii, order Perciformes, family Scorpaenidae or families Scorpaenidae and Sebastidae.

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