Skip to content

DiscoverSpeciesFish

Blackbelly rosefish

Helicolenus dactylopterus

  • Fish
  • IUCN: Least concern
  • Usual depth91–317 m
  • Water temperature9–23 °C
  • Best monthsSeptember
  • How commonCommon
All species

Photo credit: (c) Andrzej Otrębski, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · CC BY-SA · iNaturalist

About this species

Helicolenus dactylopterus, blackbelly rosefish, bluemouth rockfish, and bluemouth seaperch, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the subfamily Sebastinae which is classified within the family Scorpaenidae. This Atlantic species is a typical sit-and-wait predator with a highly cryptic coloration.

Text from the Wikipedia article “Helicolenus dactylopterus”, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the article

Where and when

Where it has been recorded

Worldwide

Loading the map

Best months

Worldwide (open data)

  • January: 836 records
  • February: 744 records
  • March: 2,031 records
  • April: 541 records
  • May: 523 records
  • June: 487 records
  • July: 3,582 records
  • August: 1,178 records
  • September: 7,605 records
  • October: 2,664 records
  • November: 2,741 records
  • December: 317 records

Depth and water temperature

Depth

Mostly recorded at 91–317 m · Deepest record: 1,159 m

  • 0–10 m: 11 records
  • 10–20 m: 4 records
  • 20–30 m: 4 records
  • 30–40 m: 13 records
  • 40–50 m: 35 records
  • 50–60 m: 224 records
  • 60–70 m: 299 records
  • 70–80 m: 351 records
  • 80–90 m: 649 records
  • 90–100 m: 621 records
  • 100–110 m: 473 records
  • 110+ m: 14,039 records

Water temperature

Recorded in surface water of 9–23 °C

  • 8–10 °C: 21 records
  • 10–12 °C: 320 records
  • 12–14 °C: 298 records
  • 14–16 °C: 45 records
  • 16–18 °C: 55 records
  • 18–20 °C: 40 records
  • 20–22 °C: 4 records
  • 22–24 °C: 2 records

Names and classification

English
Blackbelly rosefish, Bleumouth rockfish, Blue-mouth, blackbelly rosefish, Blackbelly rosefish, Blue-mouth, bleumouth rockfish, blue-mouth, Bluemouth or rockfish, Blue-mouth Redfish, Jac, Jacopever, Rockfish, Rosefish
Names in 4 more languages
German
Blaumaul
Spanish
Cabra, Cabra de Altura, gallineta, Pollico, Pollo, rascacio ombligo, Rascasio Rubio, Rouget, Rubio
French
chèvre impériale, Rascasse du Fond, rascasse du nord, sébaste chèvre, sébaste-chèvre, Sébaste chèvre, Rascasse du nord
Japanese
ラプラタユメカサゴ

Other scientific names: Helicolenus imperialis, Helicolenus maculatus, Helicolenus maderensis, Helicolenus thelmae, Scorpaena dactyloptera, Sebastes dactyloptera, Sebastes dactylopterus, Sebastes imperialis, Sebastes maculatus

Similar species

Sources and credits

Names and taxonomy: WoRMS (CC BY 4.0) and the GBIF Backbone (CC BY 4.0). Photos: iNaturalist observers, each under the licence shown (CC0, CC BY or CC BY-SA).

  • Depth, temperature, months and maps: records from OBIS and GBIF under CC0 or CC BY.
  • Descriptions: Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA, each linked to its article.
  • Conservation status as published by GBIF (IUCN Red List).
  • 101,998 open-data records from 1880 to 2024.
  • Species data updated November 3, 2026.

Log what you see on your next dive

The free DiveHive diver app keeps your logbook with every sighting and shows what lives at the site you dive next.

Join the waitlist

DiveHive uses necessary cookies to work. With your permission we also use analytics to see which pages help. Analytics is off until you say yes, and we never record what you type.

  • NecessaryAlways on: your choice, security.Always on
  • AnalyticsOff unless you accept.Off
Privacy policy