Scientific Name
Kyphosus elegans

Common Name
Cortez sea chub

Biology
Body oval, somewhat elongate, and compressed (depth contained less than 2.0 times in standard length); head and mouth small; teeth highly characteristic, forming a single anterior row in each jaw, incisiform and somewhat lanceolate in shape, resembling the head of a golf club, their roots compressed and horizontally set, forming a striated plate inside the mouth; vomer toothed; dorsal fin with 13 soft rays; lateral line scales 59 to 61; first anal ray longer than subsequent rays; body entirely dark gray, with dark stripes on flanks; sometimes with white spots (Ref. 55763).

Classification

Classified By

Peters, 1869

Class

Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)

Order

Perch-like fish (Perciformes)

Family

Sea chubs (Kyphosidae)

Distribution

Region

Eastern Pacific

Distribution

Eastern Pacific: Gulf of California to Ecuador, including the Galapagos Islands.

Range

33°N - 2°S, 120°W - 70°W

Environment

Climate

Tropical

Water Temperature From

Unknown °C

Water Temperature To

Unknown °C

Depth From - meters

1 m

Depth To - meters

40 m

Zone

reef-associated

Environment

Marine; reef-associated; depth range 1 - 40 m (Ref. 55763)

Trophic Level

2.94 s.e. 0.32 Based on food items.

Occurs in Marine / Salt water

True

Occurs in Brackish water

False

Occurs in Fresh Water

False

Occurs on Reefs

True

Is kept in Aquariums

False

Physical Size and Genetics

Maximum Length

53.0 cm

Common Length

25.0 cm

Phylogenetic Diversity Index

PD50 = 0.5002 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)

Human Uses and Population

Human Uses

Fisheries: minor commercial

Vulnerability

Moderate to high vulnerability (50 of 100)

Resilience

Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.)

Threat To Humans

Harmless

IUCN Red List Status

Least Concern (LC)