Cabezon

At a glance

Cabezon (Scorpaenichthys marmoratus) is a bony-fish species regulated in 3 of 66 jurisdictions tracked by CatchRules across the U.S. and Canada.

The strictest bag limit is 1 (Washington); the most generous is 10 (California).

Confirmed by 2,259 research-grade iNaturalist observations, with California, British Columbia, and Oregon the top jurisdictions by observation count.

Notable details

• The largest sculpin in North America, reaching up to 39 inches and 25 pounds.
• Its roe are toxic to humans, cats, and dogs and should never be eaten.
• Flesh is naturally blue-green in color due to a pigment called biliverdin.
• Males guard and fan egg masses on rocky reefs for several weeks.
• Ranges from Alaska to Baja California in rocky intertidal and subtidal habitats.

Where Cabezon are seen

• California1,731 iNat obs
• British Columbia307 iNat obs
• Oregon121 iNat obs
• Washington92 iNat obs
• Alaska8 iNat obs

Jurisdictions with rules for Cabezon

• CaliforniaUnited States · official source
• OregonUnited States · official source
• WashingtonUnited States · official source

Background

The cabezon (Scorpaenichthys marmoratus) is a large species of sculpin native to the Pacific coast of North America. Although the genus name translates literally as "scorpion fish", true scorpionfish (such as lionfish) belong to the related family Scorpaenidae. The cabezon is the only known member of its genus.

Background excerpt adapted from Wikipedia's Cabezon article (CC BY-SA). Visit Wikipedia for the full entry.

Other bony fish on CatchRules

• BluegillLepomis macrochirus
• Brown TroutSalmo trutta
• Brook TroutSalvelinus fontinalis
• Atlantic Sergeant MajorAbudefduf saxatilis