red brotula
Brosmophycis marginata
Red, discreet brotula of rocky areas in the Mexican Pacific, with flesh considered sweet but rare in the market. It poses no danger to anglers.
Also called: brótula-vermelha, brótula roja, red brotula
- maximum
- 46 cm
- depth
- 3–256 m
who is the red brotula
Fish of the family Bythitidae, with an elongated body, red to brown on the back and nearly white below. It is a common but cryptic species that hides in rocky areas near the bottom, from 3 to 256 m, generally from 15 m on. It reaches 46 cm total length. It is ovoviviparous, meaning the young are born already formed. It has commercial use and is kept in public aquariums. The flesh is considered sweet and fine-textured, but is rare in the market.
Essential profile. Identification, where it occurs and rules, with data from FishBase and the cited regulations. Season, time of day, technique and bait are added once we have a good source for the red brotula.
identification
Elongated fish, red to brown on the back and nearly white below, with pinkish lips and red edges on the dorsal and anal fins, and bright red caudal and pectoral fins. The pectoral fins are rounded, and the pelvic fin has a long, filamentous outer ray, twice the size of the inner one. The base of the dorsal and anal fins is covered by loose skin.
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Each card shows the day's index (0 to 100) and, below it, a strip with the index for each hour, from 0h to 23h. from poor to excellent.
Essential profile: the index uses a general fish model (weather, sun, moon and tide), without a season or time of day specific to this species.
where found
In Mexico it only reaches northern Baja California, as far as Ensenada, in rocky areas. The species ranges from southeastern Alaska to that point.
Habitat: Rocky areas, usually from 15 m, down to 256 m deep.
rules for the red brotula
Summary of the regulations we found, with the source for each. Rules change; before keeping or transporting fish, check with the state environmental agency.
We found no species-specific rule beyond the region's general rules.
catch and release
catch and release Releasing the fish alive, quickly and with a wet hand. During a closed season it isn't always allowed: what the regulation says applies.
Poses no danger to anglers. If it came up from depth, it can suffer barotrauma: release it carefully.
in the kitchen
The flesh is considered sweet and fine-textured, but it is rare in the market.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.00468, b = 3.03; FishBase (relação peso-comprimento bayesiana, estimativa)). It's an average: a fat or lean fish can vary by 10% to 20%.
estimated weight
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sources and references
Essential profile: size, length-weight, depth, countries and conservation come from FishBase and the cited regulations, and the texts were written from those sources. Season, time of day, sensitivities, technique and baits and lures are not included yet, because we did not find a good source for this species.
- scientific FishBase: Brosmophycis marginata (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Brosmophycis marginataNames by country and language.