Penpoint Gunnel

Apodicthys flavidus

Penpoint Gunnel

Apodicthys flavidus

Sandy Coast, Rocky Coast

At the Aquarium

Sandy Coast, Rocky Coast

Appearance

Penpoints are named for the thick, grooved spine on the anal fin. These long, skinny fish come in a variety of colors, including oranges, reds, greens, or browns. They lack pelvic fins and have a line that extends downward through the eyes.

Habitat

Found in tidepools and shallow waters from the intertidal zone to depths of 25 feet.

Diet

Mostly worms and small crustaceans, like hermit crabs.

Life History

Penpoint gunnels spawn January-April in the rocky intertidal zone. A female lays sticky, whitish eggs onto the ground that are 0.1 inches across. One or both parents will guard the eggs for the 2.5 month long incubation period. Larvae hatch out at 0.5 inches long and spend 50 days as free floating plankton before settling into tidepools in spring. These fish can reach a maximum length of 18 inches and can live to at least 6 years of age.

IUCN Status

Not Evaluated

Ecosystem & Cultural Importance

Gunnels are important prey to birds and groundfish species. Predators of penpoint gunnels include cabezons, lingcod, cormorants, pigeon guillemots, Steller sea lions, and minks. These fish are important to the live aquaria trade for both home and public aquariums.

Alaska to southern California

These fish may be found among algae in tidepools or on mudflats during low tide.

During low tide, these fish usually remain submerged, either in tidepools or in shallow subtidal areas. However, they can survive out of water during low tide by sheltering under rocks or seaweed. The variable colors of a penpoint are determined when they are larvae by their diet and the color of vegetation that they settle on.

Citations & Other Resources

De Forest, Lisa G., and Morgan S. Busby. inchesDevelopment of larval and early juvenile penpoint gunnel (Apodichthys flavidus)(family: Pholidae).inches (2006).
Love, Milton S. Certainly more than you want to know about the fishes of the Pacific Coast: a postmodern experience. Really Big Press: Santa Barbara. 2011. 649 pp. ISBN 978-0-9628725-6-3.
The Marine Detective Blog: https://themarinedetective.com/2021/04/19/gunnel-gunnel-gone/

Penpoint Gunnel

Penpoint Gunnel

At the Aquarium

Appearance

Habitat

Diet

Life History

IUCN Status

Ecosystem & Cultural Importance

Citations & Other Resources

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