Sebastes miniatus

Description

Sebastes miniatus is a species of rockfish known by the common names vermilion rockfish, vermilion seaperch, red snapper, red rock cod, and rasher. It is native to the waters of the Pacific Ocean off western North America from Baja California to Vancouver Island. The body of the vermilion rockfish is moderately deep and compressed. The upper profile of the head is somewhat curved; the mouth is large, with the lower jaw slightly projecting. The color is bright red on the body and fins; many with black and gray mottling on back and sides. On fish shorter than 12 inches (30 cm) the mottling is much more apparent and the fins are often edged with black. The yelloweye and canary rockfishes are similar in appearance to the vermilion, but the bottom of their lower jaws is scaleless and feels smooth to the touch. The vermilion rockfish has scales on the bottom of the lower jaw which make it rough to the touch. It may also be confused with the brown rockfish (Sebastes auriculatus) in deep water.