
Blackbelly rosefish
Helicolenus dactylopterus
- Usual depth91–317 m
- Water temperature9–23 °C
- Best monthsSeptember
- How commonCommon
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
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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
Water temperature
Recorded in surface water of 9–23 °C
Photos

(c) Karim Haddad, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY · iNaturalist 
(c) Karim Haddad, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY · iNaturalist 
(c) Ryan Watson, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY · iNaturalist 
(c) James-LaFontaine, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY · iNaturalist 
(c) Eridan Xharahi, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY · iNaturalist 
(c) Cosimo Sanitate, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY · iNaturalist
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
- Coral Cod
Helicolenus percoides
- Bigeye Ocean Perch
Helicolenus barathri
Hilgendorf's rosefishHelicolenus hilgendorfii
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.
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