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| California Sheephead / Semicossyphus
pulcher |
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| Description: |
The body of the sheephead is plump and enlongate. Females are a drab
gray/green, while the males develop distinct coloration: the head and rear
1/3 of the body is black, and the middle is dark red, and the chin is
bright white. Both male and female have large canine-like teeth.
This species begins life as a "protogynous hermaphrodite", which
means that they all start life as a female, but some become a male later
in life.
An 8 inch fish is about 4 years in age. The
transformation to males can begin when they reach 12 inches in length,
about 7-8 years in age.
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| Range: |
From Cabo San Lucas, Baja California, to Monterey Bay, California.
From shallow water to 180 feet deep.
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| History: |
Crabs, lobsters, mussels, snails, squid, urchins, abalone, sand
dollars, and sea cucumbers are on the sheephead's menu. The sheephead can
easily break open hard shells with their powerful jaws.
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| Other Names: |
Sheepie, goat, fathead. |
| Largest recorded size: |
36 inches, 36 lbs. |
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| Minimum Size For Record: |
25 lbs. |
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| Standing 20th. Century IUSA Record: |
John Ellwood - 16.4 kg., 36 lbs. 4 oz. |
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| Current 21st. Century IUSA Record: |
Open. |
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17 lb Sheephead caught locally by RBBA member Lobsterdon (your
webmaster)
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