Common Names

Taxonomic Hierarchy

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Teleostei

Order: Perciformes/Zoarcoidei

Family: Stichaeidae

Genus: Ernogrammus

Species: Ernogrammus hexagrammus (Schlegel, 1845)

Climate Zone

Location

• Northwest Pacific: Japan to the Gulf of Po-Hai (Gulf of Chihli), the Sea of Japan, and the southern Kuril Islands.

Biology

Inhabit coastal, near rocky reefs among algae and rocks; also brackish waters (Ref. 51666). This nocturnal fish hide between stones during the day and move to sandy areas in the evening for foraging. Feeds mainly on polychaetes and mysids, decapod crustaceans, fishes, algae and sipunculans. A solitary species with low level of contacts and aggression. Potential predators include Squalus acanthias, Sebastes taczanowskii, and S. trivittatus, sea scorpions Myoxocephalus, and cormorants (Ref. 86742). Oviparous, eggs are guarded by the male (Ref. 58332).

Habitat

demersal

Conservation Status

Not Evaluated

Threat to Humans

Harmless