Xiphister atropurpureus, Black prickleback

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Xiphister atropurpureus (Kittlitz, 1858)

Black prickleback
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Native range | All suitable habitat | Point map | Year 2050
This map was computer-generated and has not yet been reviewed.
Xiphister atropurpureus   AquaMaps   Data sources: GBIF OBIS
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Image of Xiphister atropurpureus (Black prickleback)
Xiphister atropurpureus
Picture by Hopkins Seaside Laboratory

Classification / Names Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes(genus, species) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa

Teleostei (teleosts) > Perciformes/Zoarcoidei (Eelpouts and pricklebacks) > Stichaeidae (Pricklebacks) > Xiphisterinae
Etymology: Xiphister: Greek, xiphos = armed with sword (Ref. 45335).

Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range Ecology

Marine; demersal; depth range 8 - 12 m (Ref. 51666). Subtropical; 59°N - 27°N, 156°W - 114°W

Distribution Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Point map | Introductions | Faunafri

Eastern Pacific: Kodiak Island, Alaska to Rio Santo Tomas, northern Baja California, Mexico.

Size / Weight / Age

Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 30.5 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 4925)

Short description Morphology | Morphometrics

Dorsal spines (total): 65 - 73; Dorsal soft rays (total): 0; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 40 - 52. Caudal rounded; pectorals as minute flaps (Ref. 6885). Dark reddish brown to black with head pale enough to display 3 dark light-edged bands radiating from each eye; light band sometimes prominent across base of caudal fin and extending on dorsal and anal fins (Ref. 6885).

Biology     Glossary (e.g. epibenthic)

Facultative air-breathing (Ref. 126274); Juveniles and adults inhabit intertidal areas down to 8 m depth (Ref. 2850); Individuals to 2 cm in length have been taken from surface waters (Ref. 6885). Found under rocks and in gravel areas (Ref. 2850). May remain out of water under rocks or seaweed (Ref. 31184). Breathe air (Ref. 31184) and can stay out of water for 10-23 hours if kept moist (Ref. 51276). Oviparous, eggs are laid in several clumps or masses which are guarded by the male (Ref. 58332).

Life cycle and mating behavior Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae

Eggs are laid in several clumps or masses which are guarded by the male (Ref. 58332).

Main reference Upload your references | References | Coordinator | Collaborators

Eschmeyer, W.N., E.S. Herald and H. Hammann, 1983. A field guide to Pacific coast fishes of North America. Boston (MA, USA): Houghton Mifflin Company. xii+336 p. (Ref. 2850)

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435)


CITES

Not Evaluated

CMS (Ref. 116361)

Not Evaluated

Threat to humans

  Harmless





Human uses

FAO - Publication: search | FishSource |

More information

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Internet sources

AFORO (otoliths) | Aquatic Commons | BHL | Cloffa | BOLDSystems | Websites from users | Check FishWatcher | CISTI | Catalog of Fishes: genus, species | DiscoverLife | ECOTOX | FAO - Publication: search | Faunafri | Fishipedia | Fishtrace | GenBank: genome, nucleotide | GloBI | Google Books | Google Scholar | Google | IGFA World Record | MitoFish | Otolith Atlas of Taiwan Fishes | Public aquariums | PubMed | Reef Life Survey | Socotra Atlas | Tree of Life | Wikipedia: Go, Search | World Records Freshwater Fishing | Zoological Record

Estimates based on models

Preferred temperature (Ref. 123201): 8.9 - 14, mean 10.1 °C (based on 169 cells).
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref. 82804):  PD50 = 0.7500   [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00389 (0.00180 - 0.00842), b=3.12 (2.94 - 3.30), in cm total length, based on all LWR estimates for this body shape (Ref. 93245).
Trophic level (Ref. 69278):  2.5   ±0.2 se; based on diet studies.
Resilience (Ref. 120179):  Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (tm=2.5; Fec=1,700).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref. 59153):  Low vulnerability (21 of 100).