Range and Identity
Porichthys notatus ranges from the Sitka region of Alaska south to Magdalena Bay in Baja California. Records farther south in Baja and in the Gulf of California have been questioned. A precise locality is therefore important when comparing fish near the southern edge of the accepted range.
Habitat and Behavior
Fish shelter beneath rocks and around vegetation in the intertidal zone and also occur over deeper sand or mud. They become active at night and eat fishes and crustaceans. Individuals can breathe air when exposed, but that observation does not imply an unrestricted life on land.
Food and Life History
Males guard eggs attached to the roof of a nest beneath a rock and may fast while providing care. Light organs include a distinctive arrangement beneath the head. The maximum reference is thirty-eight centimeters total length, without a mass inferred from body shape.
Field Note
Include the underside of the head when a clear, undisturbed photograph is possible. Its light-organ pattern can add identification detail that a side view misses.
All Lakes With Plainfin Midshipman
Browse all lakes and reservoirs with confirmed Plainfin Midshipman records in our database, listed alphabetically.
No published lakes are currently linked to this species in our confirmed records.