Pacific Graysby, also known as Panama Graysby, is a type of marine fish. Its scientific name is Cephalopholis panamensis.
This fish belongs to the Epinephelinae subfamily and the Serranidae family, which includes anthias and sea basses.
Pacific Graysby is found in the Eastern Pacific Ocean, living in coral reefs and along rocky shores.
It’s a shy and secretive creature that eats other fish and crustaceans.
Pacific graysby has a long lifespan and can live for at least 25 years.
However, this fish is not reef-safe because it can harm coral reefs or other aquatic lifeforms in it.
You can check out what this fish looks like over here.
Pacific Graysby Interesting Facts
- Pacific graysby is a protogynous hermaphrodite, starting as female and potentially changing to male later in life.
- It inhabits the Eastern Pacific Ocean, living in coral reefs and along rocky shores at depths between 30 to 80 meters.
- This fish can live up to 25 years but is not reef-safe.
- Key features include a rounded preopercle bone with fine serrations, tooth-like scales on its body, and around 48 to 49 lateral line scales.
Pacific Graysby Habitat
Pacific graysby lives in the Eastern Pacific Ocean, from the Gulf of California to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands.
This fish stays close to coral reefs and doesn’t migrate. It’s usually found at depths of 30 to 80 meters but can also be found deeper.
Pacific graysby thrives in tropical waters around latitudes 32°N to 3°S and longitudes 115°W to 80°W.
| Water Temperature: | Unknown |
| Water pH: | Unknown |
| Water Hardness: | Unknown |
Pacific Graysby Physical Characteristics
Size: 7.9 inches (20.0 centimeters)
Pacific graysby grows up to a maximum length of 15.35 inches (39.0 centimeters).
But most of these fish are usually around 7.9 inches (20.0 centimeters) long.
Pacific graysby has 9 spines and 14 to 15 soft rays on its dorsal fin, and 3 spines with 8 soft rays on its anal fin.
Some features of this fish include a body depth that’s about 2.7 to 2.9 times shorter than its length and a head that’s about 2.3 to 2.5 times shorter than its length.
The preopercle (a bone near the gills) is round and has fine serrations.
The nostrils at the front and back are similar in size, while the third spine on the dorsal fin is the longest one.
The skin between these spines has small cuts.
Pectoral fins are longer than pelvic fins with their length being around 1.5 to 1.7 times greater than the head length.
The tail fin is rounded, and scales along the sides of its body are strongly ctenoid (tooth-like).
There are about 48 to 49 lateral line scales (sensitive rows of scales for detecting movement) and around 80 to 83 total scale series along each side of their body.
Pacific Graysby Reproduction
Pacific graysby has been confirmed as a protogynous hermaphrodite, meaning it starts its life as a female but can change to male later on.
Its spawning season peaks during July and August in the Gulf of California.
Pacific Graysby Scientific Classification
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Perciformes |
| Family: | Serranidae |
| Genus: | Cephalopholis |
| Scientific Name: | Cephalopholis panamensis |
| Also Known As: | Pacific Graysby, Panama Graysby |
| Conservation Status: | Least Concern |