Roosterfish

The roosterfish (Nematistius pectoralis) is a unique species of marine carangiform fish found in the warmer shallow waters of the southeastern Pacific Ocean, from Baja California south to Peru. Roosterfish are a popular sport fish for being strong fighters. They are also important targets of local artisanal and subsistence fisheries. It is the only species in the genus Nematistius, the family Nematistiidae, and the suborder Nematistioidei. Their name comes from the having a "rooster comb" or seven long spines on the dorsal fin. Roosterfish can reach over 1.6 m (5 ft 3 in) in length and over 50 kg (110 lb) in weight. Despite being a very popular sport fish, Roosterfish are an understudied species.

Distribution

The native range of roosterfish is nearshore flats in the Pacific Ocean. The northern extent of their range is the Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of California surrounding the Baja Peninsula. They are present along the coast of Central America to Peru in South America and in the Galapagos archipelago and Malpelo Island.

Behaviour

Roosterfish are generalist predators and eat many different things. They are important pelagic predators in the coastal regions where they occur. The results of analyzing the stomach contents of multiple roosterfish showed nine species of prey fish and one cephalopod. The most common prey item in the stomachs of the roosterfish was anchovies of the genus Anchoa. Roosterfish are known to feed in shallow lagoons and along shallow beaches. Roosterfish follow prey species to maintain high nutritional content throughout the year.