Latin name

Girella nigricans

Other names

Green perch, black perch, blue-eyed perch, bluefish, Jack Benny, button-back; Japanese: mejina; Spanish: chopa verde.

Identification

The body is oval and compressed, the snout is thick and has a uniformly rounded profile, and the mouth is small. The coloration is dark olive green, and most individuals have one or two white spots on each side of the back below the middle of the dorsal fin. Its bright blue eyes and heavy body distinguish it from related species.

Distribution

Occurs from San Francisco, California, to Cabo San Lucas, Baja California.

Habitat

This species inhabits rocky shores and kelp forests. Adult aggregations are found off the coast of California in water depths of 65 feet and deeper.

Size

Their maximum length reaches 251⁄2 inches and their weight is 131⁄2 pounds.

Life history and Behavior

During spawning, which occurs from April through June, fish form dense schools in shallow waters. Eggs and larvae swim freely and can be found many miles from shore. Juveniles form schools of up to two dozen individuals. At about 1 inch long, they enter tidal pools, gradually deepening as they grow.

Food and feeding habits

They feed mainly on seaweeds, both with and without organisms inclusions. Other food sources include kelp, giant kelp, sea lettuce, coralline algae, small tube-living worms and red crabs.

Reproduction

They mature and spawn when they reach 8-9 inches in length and are 2-3 years old.