Crevice Kelpfish

Gibbonsia montereyensis

The Crevice Kelpfish is a small marine fish reaching up to 11 cm in length. It has an elongated, laterally compressed body with a continuous dorsal fin that extends from the head to the caudal peduncle. The species is characterized by its high color variability, displaying hues of brown, reddish, green, dark, and silver, often with dark vertical bars and spots. A distinctive dark ocellus is present above the lateral line behind the pectoral fin. Unlike other Gibbonsia species, the Crevice Kelpfish lacks scales on its caudal fin. This fish inhabits the coastal waters of the Eastern Pacific, ranging from British Columbia to northern Baja California. It prefers rocky, algae-covered areas on exposed coasts, typically found in the intertidal to subtidal zones, up to depths of 21 meters. The Crevice Kelpfish is often found anchoring itself to algae-covered rocks, using its coloration for camouflage to evade predators. The diet of the Crevice Kelpfish consists mainly of small invertebrates, including isopods, amphipods, crabs, copepods, shrimps, limpets, mollusks, fish eggs, and polychaetes. It is an oviparous species, laying eggs in its preferred rocky habitats. The IUCN lists the Crevice Kelpfish as Least Concern, but it may be affected by warming ocean temperatures, as it prefers colder waters.