Brown Irish lord (Hemilepidotus spinosus)

Category: Fish
Related species groups: Sculpins

Occasionally caught by recreational harvesters in Puget Sound. Caught incidentally in the commercial fishery off the outer Washington coast.

Description and Range

Physical description

The body of the brown Irish lord is predominantly brown, often tinged with red on the dorsal surface, mottled and barred with 4 dark saddles along the back. It has 11 dorsal spines, 18-20 dorsal soft rays, and 35 vertebrae. This species lacks an anal spine. The dorsal fin of the brown Irish lord is deeply notched between the third and fourth spine, and between the spinous and rayed portions. The caudal fin is rounded. This species is easily confused with the red Irish lord but is distinguished by nostrils that have fleshy flaps and a scaled stripe above the lateral line that is six to eight scales wide.

Brown Irish lord can grow up to 29 cm (11.4 in) in length.

Geographic range

rown Irish lord range from Puffin Bay, southeastern Alaska to Santa Barbara Island, southern California. They are usually found in subtidal areas of exposed coasts and range in depths from shallow waters to 780 m (2,560 ft).